A cross-chain swap usually costs a small percentage of the trade plus network gas on the chain you swap from. The exact total depends on the tokens, the chains and the route that moves your funds.
That is why two quotes for the same swap can deliver different amounts. This guide breaks down each cost, shows what KyberSwap charges, and explains what to compare before you confirm.
What Makes Up the Cost of a Cross-Chain Swap?
The cost of a cross-chain swap has four parts: source-chain gas, route provider costs, a platform fee and price impact.
A simple way to think about it: you pay the network to send the transaction, you pay a provider to deliver value on the other chain, and the market sets the final rate.
Source-chain gas: the network fee for the transaction you sign in your wallet.
Route provider costs: what the bridge, relayer or solver charges to move value between chains and complete the destination side.
Platform fee: what the interface charges for finding and executing the route.
Price impact and slippage: the gap between the quoted rate and the rate you actually get.
Not every part shows up as its own line. Many providers build their costs into the quoted output, so the amount you receive tells you more than any single fee label.
Fees: What Does KyberSwap Charge for a Cross-chain Swap?
KyberSwap applies a Platform Fee of 0.05% to 0.25% for using Cross-chain Swap. The rate depends on the route and the volatility level of the tokens.
RouteStable tokens & Same native tokenCommonExoticHigh-volatilityEVM ↔ EVM0.05%0.10%0.15%0.25%Near ↔ EVM0.1%0.2%0.2%0.2%Solana ↔ EVM0.1%0.2%0.2%0.2%BTC ↔ EVM0.25%0.25%0.25%0.25%Non-EVM ↔ Non-EVM0.25%0.25%0.25%0.25%
The lowest rate, 0.05%, applies to Stable tokens & Same native token on EVM ↔ EVM routes. The rate rises with the volatility level of the tokens. BTC ↔ EVM and Non-EVM ↔ Non-EVM routes use a flat 0.25%.
For example, a $1,000 swap between stable tokens on an EVM ↔ EVM route falls in the 0.05% tier. The Platform Fee on that swap is about $0.50.
The applicable Platform Fee is shown in the swap details section after the route is generated and before you confirm the transaction.
Protocol Fee: The Route Provider’s Charge
Some third-party providers may charge a protocol-specific fee, shown as Protocol Fee, for using their route. The Protocol Fee is separate from the Platform Fee.
If applicable, the Protocol Fee is displayed in the Swap Details when this route is selected, or within the Choose Your Route section during route comparison.
Gas: Which Chain Do You Pay Gas On?
You pay gas on the source chain, where you approve the cross-chain swap transaction in your wallet. The amount depends on that chain’s network conditions when you swap.
This makes your source chain a real cost decision. The same transaction usually costs far more gas on Ethereum mainnet than on a Layer 2 such as Arbitrum or Base. For small swaps, source-chain gas can be the largest cost in the whole trade.
Token Approval Can Add a Transaction
You might need to approve the input token first if you haven’t previously authorized the protocol to swap this token on your behalf. Token approval is a separate action and may require gas.
What Happens on the Destination Chain?
A cross-chain swap includes the swap on the source chain, bridging, and settlement on the destination chain. When the swap succeeds, the output tokens are delivered to your receiving address on the destination chain.
To move or use those tokens on the destination chain afterward, you will need that chain’s gas token.
Price Impact and Slippage: The Cost That Isn’t Listed as a Fee
Price impact and slippage can cost more than all fees combined on a large swap or a thinly traded token.
Price impact comes from liquidity. A large order moves the price in the pools that fill it, so you get a worse average rate. Slippage comes from time. Prices can move between the moment you see a quote and the moment the swap completes, and cross-chain swaps take longer than same-chain swaps.
Before you click Confirm Swap on KyberSwap, carefully review the confirmation box. It shows the token amount, destination address, minimum received, estimated processing time and platform fee.
What to Compare Before You Confirm a Cross-Chain Swap
Compare the amount you will receive on the destination chain, not the headline fee. A route with a lower fee can still deliver fewer tokens if its pricing is worse.
KyberSwap does this comparison for you by default. After you enter an amount, KyberSwap automatically fetches real-time quotes from multiple third-party cross-chain protocols and selects the option that provides the best rate among the quotes. Supported protocols include NEAR Intents, Across, Relay Protocol, deBridge, LI.FI, Mayan Finance, Bungee and Symbiosis.
To see every option, click More Options to open the Choose Your Route section. There you can compare available providers, view estimated return amounts, fees and estimated arrival times, and choose another quote you prefer.
Four Things to Check in Every Quote
Estimated return amount: the output amount after the route’s fees and pricing. This is the number to rank routes by.
Minimum received: shown in the confirmation box before you confirm. Check it alongside the estimated return amount, especially for volatile tokens.
Platform Fee and Protocol Fee: both appear before you confirm, so you can see exactly what the route charges.
Estimated processing time: some chains or protocols may take more time to complete. For a time-sensitive trade, a slightly lower quote that arrives much faster can be the better choice.
Compare Against Bridging and Swapping Separately
A cross-chain swap replaces two jobs: moving funds to another chain and swapping into the token you want. Doing them separately means paying for each step yourself.
The manual path usually includes source-chain gas for the bridge, a bridge fee, destination-chain gas for the swap and a DEX trading cost. It also requires holding the destination chain’s gas token before you can swap at all.
With Cross-chain Swap, you can swap from any token on one chain to a different token on another chain, directly through KyberSwap, with no external steps required.
FAQ
Are cross-chain swaps more expensive than same-chain swaps?
Yes. Cross-chain swaps usually cost more than same-chain swaps. Moving value between chains adds provider costs, and the longer processing time leaves more room for price movement.
Why does Cross-chain Swap have a fee when Swap on KyberSwap does not?
No platform fee is applied to Swap when you access KyberSwap.com directly. For Cross-chain Swap, KyberSwap applies a platform fee to support the continued development and maintenance of the feature.
What happens if a cross-chain swap fails?
A failed cross-chain swap on KyberSwap is automatically reverted. The input tokens are returned to your sender wallet address.
You can follow every swap’s status in the transaction history panel, from Processing to Success or Failed.
Which Cross-Chain Swaps Cost the Least?
The cheapest cross-chain swaps use Stable tokens & Same native token on an EVM ↔ EVM route, starting from a low-gas source chain. The Platform Fee is 0.05% and gas stays small, so your main decision is usually speed.
Swaps involving high-volatility tokens, BTC or other non-EVM routes fall into higher Platform Fee tiers. On these routes, price impact can matter more than fees, so compare estimated return and Minimum received across routes before you confirm.
Ready to see the numbers for your own swap? Open the Cross-chain tab on KyberSwap or visit kyberswap.com/cross-chain and compare live quotes before you sign.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Fred Wilson, co-founder of venture firm Union Square Ventures, says the simplest bet on AI is energy, not tech stocks. After all, natural gas powers most new AI data centers, yet its price has barely moved.
That gap is now sparking debate online. Chip stocks have slumped this month, while the fuel behind the AI buildout still trades near its long-run range.
Why Investors Call Energy the Easier Bet on AIWilson made the case in a short clip shared on X.
“If you really want just a simple way to bet on AI and not have to think about all this other stuff, just bet on energy,”
One investor pushed the idea further. He said copper and power give traders cheap AI exposure, with deep markets and leverage. Still, he added that almost nobody cares.
In fact, copper has set record highs in 2026. Its supply is also tightening as AI demand squeezes copper. Still, softer industrial data from China, the largest copper buyer, has weighed on copper demand.
Tech, by contrast, has struggled. Chip stocks posted eight straight losing days last week, and Goldman named defensive stocks for nervous investors.
What Cheap Natural Gas Means for Investors Funny that basically all AI data centers are being run on natural gas but the cost of NG has been mostly flat or down. $UNL
— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) October 21, 2026 Nikita Bier, the former head of product at X, raised a related point. He noted that gas runs almost every AI data center, yet its price stayed flat or fell.
The first part is largely true. The US has 1,391 operating data centers, and 2,819 more are planned. Gas makes up nearly 75% of planned on-site US data center power. Nuclear, fuel cells, and batteries supply the rest, giving investors other ways into the same trade.
However, the chart in the post needs context. The United States 12 Month Natural Gas Fund (UNL) holds futures contracts. Rolling those contracts adds costs, so the fund has fallen far more than gas itself.
Planned On-Site Data Center Power by Source. Source: BeInCrypto Meanwhile, the US benchmark, Henry Hub, mostly stayed between $2 and $4 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last decade. Looking ahead, Wood Mackenzie expects it near $5 by 2035 as power demand climbs, World Oil reports.
Therefore, that forecast is the real test for anyone seeking a bet on AI outside tech stocks. The fight for cheap power is also reshaping Bitcoin mining cost math. If gas prices rise, energy producers could capture a larger share of AI spending than chipmakers do today.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Yesterday, U.S. Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded a net inflow of $23.2 million, while U.S. Ethereum spot ETFs saw a net outflow of $26.1 million.
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Qi Junyuan, former head of Doubao's PC version, founded Today AI, which has raised over $200 million in total financing with investors including Tencent, Ant Group, and Sequoia, and has begun training its own AI model.
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5 Wallets Open 5x Longs on 16,287 $SPCX for $2.63M, Up $223K Unrealized Profit
USD1 traders are going long on $SPCX on @Aster_DEX!
5 wallets deposited USD1 into @Aster_DEX and opened 5x longs on a total of 16,287 SPCXUSD1 ($2.63M), now sitting on $223K in unrealized profit.
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Binance will add 5 bStocks tokenized securities as margin collateral assets at 20:00 today.
According to an official announcement, Binance will add five bStocks tokenized securities as eligible collateral assets at 20:00 UTC+8 on October 21. The assets include RoboStrategy (BOTB), Berkshire Hathaway (BRKBB), KraneShares STAR Market 50 ETF (KSTRB), Direxion Daily 20 Year Treasury Bull 3X ETF (TMFB), and Vistra Corp (VSTB). Corresponding trading pairs will also support margin trading. The announcement notes that these assets are only allowed as collateral for designated margin accounts, with lending not currently supported. Eligible regular users, VIP 1, and VIP 2 users must first complete a suitability assessment questionnaire, and the related functions are not available to users in restricted regions.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
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A projectile hit a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, setting its engine room on fire. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump claims that the strait is no longer why Americans pay more for gas.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO), which logs attacks on merchant ships, said the crew was fighting an engine room blaze. It was the agency’s 10th incident notice since October 1.
Who Trump Blamed for Gas PricesAccording to US President Donald Trump, constraints at the Strait of Hormuz were no longer the reason Americans are paying more at the pump. Instead, he pointed at refineries.
“What’s driving up Gasoline is no longer the Strait of Hormuz, because Record Numbers of Barrels are coming out now on an almost daily basis, but the word, ‘Refineries,’ where Russia’s are being blown up by Ukraine, and where ours are being closed up, in Blue States, like California, by the Dumocrats,” the President wrote on Truth Social.
Part of that is true. Middle East crude exports averaged 18.5 million barrels a day in the week to October 1, above pre-war levels, Kpler data shows.
However, the ships keep getting hit. Monday’s fire came days after another Hormuz tanker attack rattled markets.
What the Oil Charts ShowUS crude sat near $66 a barrel on February 27, the last trading day before US and Israeli strikes on Iran. It ended Monday near $91.57, TradingView data shows.
WTI, Brent and gasoline futures. Source: TradingViewBrent, the global benchmark, rose from about $67 to $104. Wholesale gasoline climbed from about $2.30 to $3.20 a gallon. All three spiked in spring, dipped in July and jumped again in September.
At the pump, regular cost $4.37 a gallon on Monday, up from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA.
Do Russia and California Explain It?Ukraine’s drones have battered Russian refineries. The International Energy Agency (IEA) says Russian diesel output fell nearly 30%. Moscow has banned diesel exports by producers through October 31.
US diesel cost $6.32 a gallon, nearly $2 more than gasoline. Banks have warned a US diesel export ban would push gasoline higher still.
California’s two closed refineries processed about 284,000 barrels a day, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) says. That is under 2% of US capacity.
On Monday, the Group of Seven (G7) agreed to release 100 million barrels of emergency oil. Americans vote in the midterm elections on November 3.
SEC: Order Granting Approval of a Proposed Rule Change to List and Trade Shares of the 3x Gold ETF, 3x Silver ETF, 3x Bitcoin ETF, 3x Ether ETF, 3x Crude Oil ETF, and 3x Natural Gas ETF, Each a Series of the VS Trust, under BZX Rule 14.11(e)(4)
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Trumpflation, the inflation tied to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the Iran war, has entered a more entrenched phase. Core inflation held near 3.3% through the summer even as headline prices cooled sharply, new data shows.
That gap between falling headline prices and stubborn core inflation is the real story. It suggests Trumpflation has spread beyond the gas pump and settled into the broader US economy.
Trumpflation’s Two-Front Inflation ProblemTrump reinstated tariffs in July under Section 301 of the Trade Act, months after a Supreme Court defeat. Businesses have passed the higher costs of imported materials on to shoppers.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in late February, cutting off roughly 20 million barrels of daily oil traffic. That is about a fifth of the world’s crude oil supply.
Diesel prices hit an all-time high of $6.50 a gallon in September, according to data cited by Barchart. Roughly a third of the world’s fertilizer supply also transits the strait, pushing up crop and produce costs.
The stickiness shows up in Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. It excludes volatile food and energy costs.
Macro strategist Jim Bianco has noted that core PCE has held above the Fed’s 2% target for 65 straight months. That streak, he argues, shows markets are missing the bigger story by fixating on oil.
Why It Matters for MarketsFed Chair Kevin Warsh’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised interest rates a quarter point on Sept. 16 anyway. Entrenched inflation typically takes a prolonged hiking cycle to unwind, not a single move.
That is a problem for a stock market trading near its richest valuation since the dot-com bubble. The gauge is the Shiller price-to-earnings ratio. Wall Street’s AI-driven rally has largely priced in steady rate relief ahead.
If Trumpflation keeps forcing the Fed’s hand instead, that bet could unravel. Investors banking on cheaper money may need to rethink how long the rally can last. Whether Warsh’s Fed sees it that way may become clear at its next meeting.
US diesel prices have posted their sharpest annual increase on record, reviving fears that inflation is far from under control.
Bloomberg Intelligence senior commodity strategist Mike McGlone said the move echoes a previous economic turning point. He pointed to 2008, when four-dollar gasoline marked the peak before prices collapsed.
Diesel Prices and the Inflation RecordThe Bloomberg heating oil index is up 150% over the past year. That is the largest annual gain in the index’s history, which dates back to 1987.
McGlone framed the current diesel price as a direct parallel to the last major fuel shock.
“That $6.50 diesel price looks very similar to $4 a gallon for gasoline in 2008 which marked the peak.”
The 2008 spike preceded a sharp drop in demand as consumers and businesses cut fuel use. McGlone suggested a similar reversal, or “demand destruction,” is now likely.
Why It Matters for the FedDiesel and heating oil costs feed directly into headline inflation figures. Rising fuel prices heading into winter could keep those figures elevated for months.
That complicates the Federal Reserve’s rate-setting decisions. Policymakers are already weighing hawkish pressure from within the committee against signs of a stabilizing labor market.
Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack has flagged a similar squeeze on households. She noted many consumers have already traded down from steak to cheaper staples like hot dogs and beans. Few options remain to cut further.
Business inflation expectations are also rising, according to Atlanta Fed surveys. That matters because businesses often track a wider range of pricing signals than typical consumers.
If those expectations keep climbing alongside diesel costs, the Fed’s task could grow harder. That pressure arrives just ahead of this week’s Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation data.
Elevated diesel costs also ripple through freight, agriculture, and manufacturing, sectors sensitive to transportation expenses. Analysts will watch whether the current spike triggers the same demand pullback seen in 2008, or whether persistent supply constraints keep prices elevated for longer.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
From Timeboost to Per-Transaction BiddingArbitrum has replaced its Timeboost transaction ordering system with Priority Gas Auctions (PGA) and launched a complementary paid data service called Fast Feed on Arbitrum One.
The design is deliberately familiar:
That approach drew criticism for concentrating power among a small number of participants. Research showed that express lane control under Timeboost was highly centralized, with three entities winning 99.74% of auctions.
Fast Feed, DAO Revenue, and What Comes Next The primary audience is traders, market makers, aggregators, and other latency-sensitive onchain applications.
Together, they give the Arbitrum DAO two distinct revenue streams tied to transaction ordering and data availability.
The transition was driven by the community rather than by Offchain Labs alone.
Sources
Arbitrum Docs: Introduction to Priority Gas Auctions (PGA)
Crypto Briefing: Arbitrum replaces Timeboost with per-transaction priority auctions
arXiv: An Empirical Analysis of Arbitrum's Timeboost
Key Highlights Dutch and British natural gas futures declined 3.2% during Friday trading sessions as market participants secured gains. Weekly losses exceeded 8%, marking the sharpest pullback for both contracts since the middle of June. Emerging reports of diplomatic dialogue between Washington and Tehran regarding Strait of Hormuz access helped reduce supply disruption concerns. Gas storage facilities across the European Union are currently at approximately 70% capacity, trailing last year’s figures by roughly 12 percentage points. Scheduled maintenance operations on Norwegian pipeline infrastructure continues to strain European supply networks. Natural gas prices across European wholesale markets experienced significant downward pressure Friday. Both the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) and United Kingdom’s National Balancing Point (NBP) contracts registered identical 3.2% declines.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) Market participants capitalized on recent price appreciation by liquidating positions following several weeks of sustained increases. This selling activity positioned both benchmark contracts for their most substantial weekly decline since the June midpoint.
Weekly calculations show losses surpassing 8%, representing a dramatic turnaround from the elevated levels observed during the earlier portion of September.
Factors Driving the Price Correction The principal catalyst behind this market retreat centers on diminishing concerns surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Intelligence suggests ongoing diplomatic communications between American and Iranian officials exploring a graduated framework to restore normal passage through the strategic waterway.
🇺🇸🇮🇷 BREAKING: Iran offers U.S. a 7-DAY plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart negotiations, per FT.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Hormuz could be reopened by the end of the seventh day if certain conditions are met, with broader talks also set to resume.… pic.twitter.com/TcnmfVrcZY
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) September 25, 2026
This narrow shipping channel has emerged as a flashpoint in regional hostilities extending nearly seven months. To date, neither Washington nor Tehran has demonstrated willingness to relinquish leverage over the critical passage.
Despite the absence of a finalized accord, commodity markets are recalibrating risk assessments regarding potential military confrontation. This perception adjustment has compressed the security premium previously embedded in Persian Gulf energy commodities.
Liquefied natural gas carriers have begun implementing operational modifications. Vessel operators are increasingly utilizing alternative maritime paths circumventing the Arabian Peninsula, which has alleviated concerns about complete cessation of physical LNG shipments.
The temporary lull in geopolitical tensions prompted traders to liquidate holdings before weekend market closures. This widespread profit realization amplified the downward price momentum.
Storage Capacity Concerns Persist Despite the favorable price movement, European gas storage capacity continues presenting challenges. According to Gas Infrastructure Europe statistics, underground storage facilities throughout the European Union currently hold approximately 70% of maximum capacity.
This figure represents a deficit of approximately 12 percentage points compared to inventory levels recorded during the corresponding period last year. The shortfall leaves energy suppliers with diminished reserves as the winter season approaches.
Reduced inventory buffers suggest the continent could experience heightened price volatility should unseasonably cold temperatures materialize or supply disruptions recur. The European Central Bank has previously highlighted this vulnerability, noting that natural gas price fluctuations can cascade into broader consumer inflation metrics.
Planned infrastructure servicing across Norwegian facilities compounds existing supply constraints. Diminished pipeline throughput from Norway is constricting European deliveries precisely when storage reserves remain below historical averages.
European buyers are simultaneously competing with Asian purchasers for available LNG cargoes on the global spot market. This competitive dynamic has escalated as both geographical regions attempt to secure adequate supplies before peak winter demand commences.
Notwithstanding Friday’s correction, current price levels remain substantially elevated relative to earlier 2024 benchmarks. The ongoing conflict’s impact on maritime shipping corridors and global supply networks has yet to completely dissipate.
Energy analysts indicate that a comprehensive, durable agreement between the United States and Iran concerning strait navigation would likely trigger additional price moderation. In the interim, natural gas valuations are anticipated to maintain heightened sensitivity to diplomatic developments.
By Friday’s closing, TTF contracts had retreated below the €73 per megawatt-hour threshold, reversing advances registered during the previous trading session.
According to a report from Spartan Capital, Robinhood Chain launched its mainnet on July 1, 2026. As of the end of August, on-chain DEX trading volume rose to $1.5 billion, total value locked (TVL) increased to $711 million, and on-chain gas revenue hit $6.6 million in August. The report shows that most of Robinhood Chain’s August trading volume came from Uniswap, with on-chain fees peaking at $2.1 million on August 31. Robinhood operates the sequencer and collects approximately 90% of on-chain fees. After deducting Ethereum settlement costs and a 10% licensing fee paid to Arbitrum DAO, net revenue in August was around $6 million. For Robinhood Earn, users deposit USDG to lend via Morpho. The deposit size grew from $9.5 million on July 1 to $456 million on August 31, accounting for 68% of Robinhood Chain’s TVL at the end of that month. Users earn an estimated annual percentage yield (APY) of around 7%, while the lending side’s APY stood at roughly 3.7% at the end of August. The difference is subsidized by reward funds from Morpho and its lending partners. Meanwhile, Robinhood Chain’s meme ecosystem is growing rapidly. As of the end of August, over 340,000 tokens had been issued on the chain, and August application-layer fees reached $114 million. The report notes that trading volume for meme tokens paired with tokenized stocks is also surging; August trading volume for meme tokens paired with Robinhood Stock Tokens hit $518 million. The report points out that current trading activity on Robinhood Chain is still mainly driven by crypto-native users, and Robinhood’s 27 million funded accounts have not yet migrated to the chain on a large scale. Gas subsidies for Robinhood Wallet will remain in effect until September 29, and Robinhood Earn’s APY is also scheduled to be gradually reduced.
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12 minutes ago
Summary of Bitget CEO’s Live Stream: Some hacker addresses have been frozen, and user funds will not be affected in any way.
Bitget CEO Gracy Chen shared key takeaways from her earlier live stream on social media, including: 1. Affected assets include ETH, XRP, BNB, AVAX, USDT, USDC and other tokens, spanning Ethereum, XRP Ledger, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Optimism, BSC and Base. All on-chain cold wallets have been confirmed secure and were not impacted. 2. Bitget has contacted all affected chain foundations; some foundations have confirmed freezing hacker wallet addresses. The team will continue to follow up on relevant channels and release updates. 3. Bitget stated that based on IP behavioral characteristics and on-chain analysis, the attack method is highly consistent with known patterns of North Korean hacker groups. The platform has reported the incident to relevant authorities and is cooperating with global investigations. 4. Bitget Wallet operates on fully independent infrastructure from the Bitget exchange. This incident had no impact on Bitget Wallet, and all assets in Bitget Wallet are completely secure. 5. Regarding the platform’s financial status, Bitget said that in addition to its over $464 million protection fund, its own assets exceed $1 billion, with user funds fully backed at a 1:1 ratio, and all related data is verifiable on-chain. 6. On the timeline for resuming withdrawals, Bitget noted its goal is to complete a full recovery as soon as possible. A specific time window will be announced immediately once confirmed, and the platform will not commit to unachievable deadlines.
12 minutes ago
Ando raises $20 million in funding: Reimagining Slack to let AI agents serve as direct colleagues.
Beating AI News Brief: Stealth-mode startup Ando has closed a $20 million funding round to build a new Slack alternative designed for both humans and AI agents. The round was backed by Accel, Index Ventures, and Emergence. Ando retains core features like channels, direct messages, group chats, and voice calls, but AI agents have their own identities, permissions, and inboxes. Agents can independently browse and join channels, eliminating the need for humans to tag them (@) to trigger actions, and can proactively reach out to other team members. It supports integration with various AI agents including Codex, Claude, Grokbot, and Devin; teams without existing agents can also use Ando’s hosted version directly. Ando itself has fully stopped using Slack. For example, when a user reports a bug in a chat, agents can independently take the task, assign mobile-related work to another agent, and have a third agent review the code. If the same issue is discussed across multiple channels, agents can proactively pull together relevant personnel and fill in context gaps. Currently, teams across industries including software, real estate, and finance in 15 countries are using Ando.
12 minutes ago
Raft open-sourced its code but is not accepting pull requests, noting that AI coding agents have lowered the cost of writing code, though the expense of code review has not decreased.
Insight Beating AI Flash News: Agent collaboration platform Raft, founded by Richard Qian, former author of Kimi CLI, has released its source code, but is temporarily not accepting external Pull Requests and has not made its internal commit history public. The public GitHub repository is only a release mirror; actual development remains in a private repo, with a full code snapshot synced each version release. The Raft team argues that coding agents have made writing code far too cheap. Generating a seemingly reasonable patch is easy, even generating ten at once is not difficult, but maintainers still spend significant time understanding, verifying, and reviewing this code. In many cases, after reviewing code generated by others using agents, maintainers would rather have their own agents reimplement the code per requirements. Thus, the team aims to explore a "Prompt Request" model: contributors will not necessarily submit code directly, but first outline the problem to solve, its value, and constraints and tradeoffs, before maintainers and agents decide on implementation. This mechanism is not yet officially open; Raft’s GitHub Pull Requests and Issues are currently closed. Raft also challenges the value of traditional commit history. The team believes that with agents in development, rather than tracking every code change, "decision history"—including why changes were made, what approaches were tested, and issues identified by agents—may be more useful. Notably, Raft is source-available, not traditional open source. The FSL-1.1-ALv2 license permits users to view, run, and modify the code, but prohibits using it to offer competing commercial products or services. Each version will automatically convert to Apache 2.0 two years after release.
12 minutes ago
Caixin: Texas Hold'em pro Hu Zhewen has sued Jump Trading and Chinese professor Zhang Yongfeng, suffering consecutive losses after heavy investments in the crypto space.
Poker pro and crypto investor Hu Zhewen made heavy bets in three crypto booms, including algorithmic stablecoins and AI tokens, but suffered a string of losses. Between May 2021 and May 2022, he poured around $80 million into algorithmic stablecoin TerraUSD (UST) and its sister token LUNA. At its peak, his holdings were worth over $800 million, but LUNA’s price later plummeted to near zero. Hu claimed he once invested in blockchain project Stratis, earning a return of “over 1,000 times”. Hu has filed a lawsuit in Chicago, U.S., against global quantitative trading giant Jump Trading, its crypto-related affiliates and executives, seeking at least $500 million in damages. Separately, Hu bet on a new project by Chinese computer professor Zhang Yongfeng last January. Zhang joined Tsinghua University’s Department of Computer Science in 2007 and currently serves as a tenured associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rutgers University in the U.S. He has been sued by Hu on multiple charges including “securities fraud”. The token issued by Zhang’s institution, in which Hu invested millions of dollars, has fallen more than 99.6% from its 2025 peak, according to reports. Public records show Hu is a world-class Texas Hold’em poker player: the World Series of Poker (WSOP) website currently lists 58 money finishes, 5 final table appearances and total tournament earnings of around $1.67 million for him. Four years ago, in the $10,000 buy-in SuperMILLION$ high-stakes tournament, Hu reached heads-up against a New Zealand professional player, finishing second and taking home nearly $760,000 — the largest single-event prize of his documented poker career. (Caixin)
12 minutes ago
Iran's Foreign Minister: Iran is willing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, but has put forward relevant conditions.
According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters on Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that Iran has submitted a proposal to the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. Araghchi stated that the proposal will be advanced based on the memorandum of understanding reached between the two countries in June this year, but will only be implemented if specific conditions are met. He said, "I think it would be better if this could be completed before the U.S. midterm elections, but that depends on the decision of the U.S. government." Araghchi also noted that Iran does not care about the specific timeline and is in no hurry to push forward with this process.
Natural gas markets in Europe maintained positions close to three-week lows following Iran’s indication of a potential Strait of Hormuz reopening timeline. The Dutch TTF benchmark hovered around €72.90 per MWh, with UK NBP gas also staying near recent lows. Iran’s proposed reopening hinges on the United States reducing military presence and ending the Iranian port blockade. Gas inventories across Europe stand at approximately 70% capacity, creating vulnerability as winter approaches. Declining energy costs offer relief from inflation pressures, though supply uncertainty persists. European gas prices maintained positions near their lowest levels in three weeks on Wednesday as market participants evaluated Iran’s potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz alongside concerning winter storage deficits.
The Dutch TTF benchmark for front-month delivery declined approximately 0.6% to €72.90 per megawatt-hour, hovering near its weakest point since early September. UK wholesale gas prices saw modest gains but continued trading near their recent floor levels.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) Potential Hormuz Resolution Dampens Energy Risk Premium Tehran has communicated to Reuters that it could facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within a week, provided Washington reduces its military footprint and eliminates the blockade affecting Iranian ports. Iranian representatives at the United Nations General Assembly have been authorized to engage in renewed diplomatic discussions with American officials.
BREAKING: Iran directly rejects new claims this morning that Iran is ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US eases military pressure and lifts the blockade on Iranian ports, with Iranian sources calling them "false, unreliable and lacking in accuracy,"…
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) September 22, 2026
These developments have prompted market participants to scale back the geopolitical risk premium embedded in European natural gas valuations and international crude oil benchmarks. Brent crude has also dropped beneath the $100 threshold as markets respond to improved prospects for energy shipments from the Middle East region.
Saudi Arabia has additionally resumed operations along its East-West petroleum pipeline following an earlier suspension. This corridor enables crude transport to the Red Sea while circumventing the Strait of Hormuz, providing an additional avenue for supply security.
Nonetheless, any reopening of the critical waterway remains subject to conditions. Tehran has emphasized that Washington must implement tangible measures to decrease military pressure, while historical diplomatic initiatives have experienced repeated interruptions and restarts.
Winter Storage Deficit Poses Ongoing Threat to Europe While reduced prices have alleviated some immediate market tension, Europe continues to face exposure as the winter heating period approaches.
Current European gas storage facilities are operating at roughly 70% capacity, significantly beneath typical seasonal benchmarks. Reuters has highlighted that inventory levels are historically inadequate while European dependence on liquefied natural gas imports has intensified.
This situation creates price vulnerability should temperatures plummet sharply or Middle Eastern supply interruptions resurface. Constrained flows through the Strait of Hormuz have already impacted certain LNG shipments, notably from Qatar, which ranks among the globe’s premier suppliers.
Norwegian infrastructure maintenance has further limited European pipeline availability in recent periods, amplifying the significance of LNG accessibility and adequate storage reserves.
Energy Price Decline May Alleviate Inflationary Pressures A persistent decrease in natural gas and petroleum prices would benefit Europe’s inflation trajectory. Energy expenses ripple through household utility bills, industrial production costs, and broader consumer pricing.
This development could also shape expectations regarding European monetary policy if diminished energy costs reduce inflationary momentum. Alternatively, another surge in gas valuations might reinforce arguments for central banks to maintain restrictive policies for an extended duration.
Currently, market participants appear to be factoring in improved probabilities for enhanced Middle Eastern energy distribution. European gas continues trading close to three-week minimums, but depleted storage inventories ensure the market remains acutely responsive to winter weather patterns and geopolitical shifts.
20 September 2026 | 22:13 Circle’s new facilitator lets AI agents authorize USDC payments without holding separate gas tokens, while Circle handles screening, transaction submission and onchain settlement for sellers.
Key Takeaways Agents sign payments; Circle submits the transfers. Gas remains, but Circle pays it. Circle screens wallets, not purchase intent. The service supports three blockchain networks. Easier integration creates dependence on Circle. The payment begins with a web request, not a checkout Circle announced on September 19 that its Facilitator Service was available for x402 payments settled in USDC across Arc, Base and Polygon PoS.
In practice, the service handles a simple exchange. An AI agent asks an online service for something, a dataset, an API response or a completed task, and the server replies with a price. The agent signs a payment authorization, the USDC moves and the server releases the result.
x402 supplies the language for that exchange. It is an open protocol built around the web’s 402 Payment Required status code. When a server returns that response, it can include the amount, accepted payment method, blockchain and destination address. The buyer then sends back proof that it has authorized the payment.
x402 does not move money by itself. It only standardizes the conversation between buyer and seller. Circle’s new service performs the blockchain work that follows.
How one x402 payment reaches the blockchain 1. Request
The agent asks a seller’s API for a paid resource.
2. Price
The seller returns the cost, network and payment address.
3. Authorization
The buyer’s wallet signs permission to transfer a specific amount of USDC.
4. Settlement
The seller sends that signature to Circle, which checks and submits the transfer.
5. Delivery
After confirmation, the seller receives a transaction hash, a public reference for the payment, and releases the resource.
Gas has been moved out of sight, not eliminated Every blockchain transaction needs a network fee, commonly called gas. On many networks, that fee must be paid with the chain’s native token. A buyer holding USDC may therefore be unable to send it unless the same wallet also contains the correct gas token.
Developers can work around this by operating a relayer: a separate system that submits transactions for users and pays their gas. That normally means protecting another signing key, maintaining a funded gas wallet and monitoring transactions when they fail.
Circle places those jobs behind one hosted service. According to its technical documentation, Circle broadcasts each transfer through its relayer and pays the settlement gas. The buyer authorizes the USDC payment but does not need to maintain a separate balance of the network’s native token. Gas has not disappeared; Circle has taken over the job of funding and submitting the transaction.
The wallet signature is the actual spending permission The transfer uses EIP-3009, a standard that lets a token holder authorize a transfer with an offchain signature. “Offchain” means the wallet signs a message without immediately sending a transaction or paying gas.
That signed message identifies the wallet paying, the recipient, the USDC amount, the period during which the authorization is valid and a unique code known as a nonce. The nonce prevents the same authorization from being used repeatedly.
Circle checks that the signature is valid, that the buyer has enough USDC and that the recipient matches the payment address specified by the seller. It also screens both addresses before submitting the transfer. Circle records the payment before broadcasting it so that retrying the same request does not produce a second charge.
This is where the difference between technical authorization and human permission matters. The signature proves that the buyer’s wallet approved the transfer. It does not prove that an AI agent remained within a budget, bought an appropriate service or followed the instructions of its owner.
A person or application operator still has to decide how much control to give the agent. That could mean using a wallet with a limited balance, programming the wallet to approve only defined actions, restricting recipients or setting a spending ceiling. Circle explicitly says its facilitator does not verify the purpose of a transaction or the scope of an agent’s authority.
Buyer or AI agent Requests the resource and signs an exact USDC payment from its wallet.
Seller Sets the price and destination, requests settlement and releases the paid resource.
Circle Checks the authorization, screens both parties, pays gas and submits the transfer.
Convenience shifts payment operations to Circle Running fewer payment components can reduce mistakes and shorten development time. It also concentrates several functions inside Circle’s service.
A seller using the facilitator depends on Circle to accept the request, complete its screening, keep the relayer funded and submit the transaction. If the hosted service becomes unavailable or refuses one of the addresses, settlement can stop even when the underlying blockchain continues operating.
That is an operational dependency rather than custody. Circle says the service does not hold or control the buyer’s funds. The USDC remains in the buyer’s wallet until the authorization is executed by the token contract—the blockchain program that records USDC transfers.
Circle allows limited keyless testing, but continued production use requires sellers to authenticate through a Circle API key.
The tradeoff in one sentence Developers no longer have to operate a relayer, gas wallet and screening process, but their payment flow now relies on Circle operating those components for them.
Depending on Circle does not remove network-level risk either. Circle warns that payments on Base and Polygon PoS can be affected by a blockchain reorganization—a rare event in which a recently recorded block is replaced. Circle describes Arc settlements as final, while it does not guarantee receipt on Base or Polygon PoS.
Arc is assembling more than a payment layer Removing payment friction matters more when recipients can use the USDC they receive. Arc already hosts Uniswap’s exchange infrastructure, including v2, v3, v4 and UniswapX. That places payment settlement and access to onchain liquidity on the same network.
The two systems are not automatically connected, and their presence does not guarantee agent-driven volume. They do, however, place payment settlement and trading infrastructure within the same Arc ecosystem.
Faster settlement makes spending controls more important Easier settlement raises the value of wallet-level controls. A restricted wallet can make autonomous payments useful; an unrestricted signing key can make an agent’s mistake expensive.
Circle can verify that a signature is valid and deliver the payment to the blockchain. Deciding whether the agent should have signed it remains the responsibility of the application and its owner.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal or investment advice. Payment-service features, supported networks and settlement conditions may change.
Author
Alexander Zdravkov is a market analyst and crypto journalist with interests in economics, broader financial markets and digital assets. His journey into crypto began more than four years ago, driven by a fascination with the rapid evolution of blockchain technology and the transformative potential of decentralized finance. He began analyzing market cycles and identifying emerging trends before they reach the mainstream. He holds a degree in International Relations - a background that helped shape his broader perspective on global economics, geopolitics, and the interconnected nature of modern financial markets. Whether covering the latest developments in the crypto sector or exploring broader macroeconomic themes, Alexander focuses on giving readers context rather than simply repeating headlines. During his career, he has authored more than 5,000 articles covering cryptocurrencies, traditional finance, and global market developments. His work spans everything from Bitcoin and altcoins to macroeconomic trends influencing risk assets worldwide.
Five countries are now limiting fuel sales as Brent trades near $110 a barrel.France holds 118 days of oil in reserve, yet 1 in 10 of its stations has run short.In Dhaka, many households now cook at 1 AM, because the gas pressure is strong enough.It’s day 203 of the Iran war. And, at least five countries are rationing fuel or reporting empty pumps as of September 19. Brent crude traded at nearly $110 this month, its strongest level since spring.
The Strait of Hormuz has been largely shut since Iran retaliated for US and Israeli strikes on February 28. Houthi advances at the Bab al-Mandab chokepoint this month have now squeezed the main bypass route as well.
BRENT Price Performance. Source; TradingViewIn September, the crisis is also a refined-product problem, not just a crude problem. Vitol CEO Russell Hardy said at the Asia-Pacific Petroleum Conference that the market is missing about 2 million barrels a day of products from Russia and almost 2 million more from the Middle East.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) says refined shipments leaving the Gulf still run below half their February pace. Russian diesel exports have roughly halved since June, per the IRU.
The 5 Countries Rationing Fuel or Reporting Stockouts1. FranceBetween 10% and 12% of French stations were out of at least one fuel from September 13 to 15, according to government prix-carburant data cited by Connexion. Grand Est reached 14%.
SP95-E5 petrol hit an all-time record of €2.17 a litre after six straight weekly rises. Diesel is within 1% of the record set in April.
President Emmanuel Macron said on September 18 that France may release strategic reserves and wants a G7 meeting on coordinated action.
“In the coming weeks, we will hold a G7 meeting dedicated to these energy issues, both to strengthen cooperation and avoid unnecessary tensions among G7 countries and our key partners, and to consider options for potential releases from strategic reserves or the lifting of restrictions, as we did a few months ago,” Macron said.
France holds roughly 118 days of net import cover in strategic oil reserves, yet its pumps are still running dry, which shows the bottleneck is refined product logistics rather than crude.
That distribution gap is now spilling into the streets. For instance, on September 15, Fishermen blockaded the Fos-sur-Mer depot and clashed with police.
2. PakistanPakistan lifted its emergency fuel curbs on June 20. Eighty-nine days later, it brought them all back.
From September 17, shops and malls across Pakistan must close by 09:00 PM, wedding halls by 10:00 PM, and restaurants by 11:00 PM. This Cabinet Division order runs for the next three months.
Moreover, government vehicles lose 50% of their fuel allocation, with security fleets exempt.
The government banned new vehicle purchases and official foreign travel, and ordered a 5% cut to non-employee spending for fiscal 2026-27.
The bigger risk is winter. Pakistan must lock in oil and gas cargoes before November, when global demand rises, and Red Sea detours add about 10 days to each voyage.
3. BangladeshBangladesh imports more than 90% of its petroleum, and Dhaka, a city of almost 40 million, now runs on a timetable set by gas pressure. Residents plan their days around when the stove will light, how long a fan can run, and how far the petrol queue stretches.
For many households, cooking has shifted to 01:00 AM, the only hour when piped gas is strong enough to use, The Guardian reported. One bank employee told the paper she sleeps three hours a night before a full day at the office.
“I don’t want anything extraordinary from the government; I want to turn on the stove and find gas, I want to switch on the light and find electricity, I want clean water from the tap. These are not luxuries.” the bank employee told The Guardian.
The government has answered with energy rationing. Shops, markets, and shopping centres must shut by 8 PM, an hour earlier than before, and lit billboards go dark from 7 PM. Only hospitals, pharmacies, food shops, and emergency services are exempt.
Industry is taking the same hit. Garment factories, the country’s main source of foreign currency, face rationing and temporary closures, and one Gazipur plant reported four or five power cuts a day.
4. IndonesiaBy September 11, queues at Makassar pumps ran as long as one kilometer. Ride-hailing drivers described three-hour waits and called it the worst shortage they had ever seen.
South Sulawesi’s answer was rationing by decree on September 12. Cars can only refuel on days matching their plate number, private vehicles must show a fuel gauge below one bar, and trucks and buses may fill up only between 06:00 PM and 04:00 AM.
Rationing did not calm anyone. Eventually, on September 14, protesters stormed the Pertamina Patra Niaga office in Makassar and traded punches with security guards. Hundreds were still outside by nightfall, Kompas reported.
However, on September 17, Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia told reporters at the Presidential Palace that the Makassar shortage was resolved and national stocks cover 18 to 20 days.
He blamed drivers switching from full-price fuel to subsidised Pertalite as crude topped $100, per Tempo. His ministry is now drafting rules to bar wealthier households from subsidised pumps.
Indonesia imports about 60% of its fuel, and the rupiah had already lost 11% against the dollar by June. Therefore, each barrel costs more in local terms before Brent moves at all.
5. NepalNepal’s supplies minister resigned on September 10 amidst the cooking gas supply crisis. The same day, students in Kathmandu cooked rice over firewood outside their campus gate in protest, according to ANI.
Along with the US-Iran conflict, the crisis deepened due to a landslide that shut the Prithvi Highway, the main supply road into Kathmandu.
Bottling plants in the Kathmandu Valley were delivering just 5% of the 35,000 to 40,000 cylinders the capital needs each day, the Federation of Nepal Gas Distributors told the Kathmandu Post. Some households have gone a month without a refill.
Restaurants say they are close to shutting down, and the Kathmandu Post now describes residents cutting back on food. Nepal imports every litre of fuel through India, so it sits at the end of a supply chain that is itself under strain.
What the Next 90 Days DecideThe Northern Hemisphere heating season starts in weeks. Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia will be bidding for the same winter cargoes as Europe.
Macron wants a G7 reserve release before the cold sets in. Nobody has said whether the other six will agree.
Five countries made this list today. Will more join them? Keep checking BeInCrypto for the running count.
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BNB Smart Chain is often used for presales because its transaction fees are usually lower than on Ethereum mainnet. That can make smaller purchases easier to manage, but users still need enough BNB to cover both the purchase and the network fee.
For people researching where to buy presale crypto on Trust Wallet, the first job is not sending money. It is confirming the official project link, choosing the right network, and reading the transaction prompt before approval.
MemeToro’s official purchase flow supports wallet payments on BNB Chain, while its $MT token is in Stage 7 at a listed price of $0.00430.
Start With The Official MemeToro Purchase Page A safe purchase begins on the official MemeToro website, not a link shared in a reply, direct message, or paid social post. Fake pages can copy a project’s colors and logo while sending payments to a different wallet.
Open Trust Wallet, make sure you control the wallet, and keep your recovery phrase private. No legitimate presale needs your seed phrase, private key, or remote access to your phone.
When researching where to buy presale crypto on Trust Wallet, use a small separate wallet if possible. This keeps your main long-term holdings away from sites you are testing.
Check that the website address is spelled correctly before connecting. Confirm that Trust Wallet is set to BNB Smart Chain. Keep a little extra BNB available for the network fee. Review the payment amount before tapping confirm. MemeToro’s public guide directs users to choose the official purchase option, connect a wallet, select a payment method, and confirm the transaction. The purchase process may change as the presale develops, so users should follow current instructions on the official site.
Why BNB Is Needed For Gas BNB is the network token used to pay gas on BNB Smart Chain. Gas is the small fee paid to validators for processing a transaction, whether the user is buying a token, approving a stablecoin, or moving assets.
A user can have enough BNB for the $MT purchase but still fail if the wallet has no BNB left for gas. It is better to leave a small balance after entering the purchase amount.
People asking where to buy presale crypto on Trust Wallet sometimes confuse gas with a project fee. They are different. Gas is charged by the blockchain network, while any payment processing charge should be shown separately by the purchase page.
MemeToro uses fixed-rate presale stages rather than a live decentralized exchange pool. This means a buyer is not trading through an automated market maker at the moment of purchase. The listed Stage 7 price is fixed for that round, subject to the official sale terms.
Slippage Works Differently In A Fixed-Rate Presale Slippage is the difference between an expected trade price and the final trade price. It matters most on decentralized exchanges, where a large swap can move the price inside a liquidity pool.
A fixed-rate presale is different. The token price for the active stage is set in advance, so a buyer does not normally need to choose a high slippage setting to complete the purchase.
That does not remove every risk. The wallet can still show network fees, the payment can fail because of low gas, and a user can still connect to the wrong site.
For where to buy presale crypto on Trust Wallet, the useful checks are:
The payment currency is BNB on BNB Smart Chain. The purchase amount matches what you entered. The wallet shows a normal transaction, not unlimited token access. The destination and site are the official ones. MemeToro’s public product plan includes AI-guided memecoin proposals, fair-launch rules, trading, and $MT utility. Those planned tools do not change the need to check a wallet transaction carefully today.
Confirming The Transaction And Recording The Purchase After confirming, Trust Wallet should show that the transaction was submitted. A completed transaction normally has a transaction hash, which can be checked on a BNB Smart Chain explorer.
Do not assume the purchase failed just because $MT does not appear in the wallet immediately. Presale purchases can be credited to the project account or linked wallet balance first, then become claimable at the token generation event under the project’s instructions.
This is an important distinction for anyone learning where to buy presale crypto on Trust Wallet. A presale credit is not always the same as a freely transferable token balance.
MemeToro states that its public-sale allocation has no vesting and is intended to be claimable at launch. Users should still wait for the project’s official claim notice and official contract details before adding a custom token to Trust Wallet.
FAQs How much BNB should I leave for gas? Leave enough BNB for the purchase plus a small extra amount for the transaction fee. The exact fee changes with network conditions.
Can I use slippage settings for a MemeToro presale purchase? A fixed-rate presale is not the same as a DEX swap, so slippage settings are usually not the main issue. Check the displayed price, payment amount, and gas fee instead.
What should I do if the transaction is pending? Do not submit repeated payments immediately. Check the transaction hash on a BNB Smart Chain explorer and wait for confirmation before taking further action.
Circle has launched the public mainnet of Arc, expanding beyond its USDC stablecoin business with a blockchain built for payments, tokenized assets, financial markets, and automated economic activity worldwide.
Circle Takes Arc Mainnet Live With USDC as Native Gas Circle launched Arc as a Layer 1 blockchain designed for real-time money movement and financial applications. The network uses USDC for transaction fees and supports EVM-compatible applications.
Arc also offers deterministic sub-second finality, which allows transactions to reach final settlement quickly. Circle currently operates the network with a permissioned group of institutional validators.
More than 100 applications and over 100 institutional and ecosystem builders are participating at launch. Circle said Arc’s testnet processed more than 700 million transactions before the public mainnet release.
“Arc is the single most significant launch in Circle’s history since USDC itself,” Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said. He described USDC as the company’s first step toward broader internet-based financial infrastructure.
Arc Targets Payments and Tokenized Markets Circle built Arc to support payments, foreign exchange, lending, trading and tokenized financial assets. Aave, Morpho and Uniswap are among the protocols available through the network at launch.
Circle Payments Network and StableFX also connect directly with Arc. StableFX supports round-the-clock currency trading and settlement using several stablecoins, including USDC, EURC, JPYC and KRW1.
Tokenized funds are another part of the network’s initial offering. BlackRock’s BUIDL and Circle’s USYC can support trading, lending and collateral-related activities on Arc.
BlackRock digital assets head Robbie Mitchnick said purpose-built blockchains could support wider digital asset adoption. He said Arc “appears clearly well positioned to serve stablecoin and payment use cases at scale.”
Circle Considers Proof-of-Stake Model for Arc Arc currently relies on institutional validators, with participants joining through a phased rollout. Circle named BlackRock, DTCC, ICE, Mastercard, Visa and Standard Chartered among its founding validator group.
Circle also minted an initial supply of 10 billion ARC tokens. However, the company said the minting does not confirm a public ARC token launch.
The company is planning to transition Arc from the proof-of-work model to the proof-of-stake model in 2027. Under that plan, ARC could do network security, governance and other coordination functions.
Even if Circle follows the new model, USDC will continue to be Arc’s gas currency. Circle is also working on payment and tokenized financial markets infrastructure for Arc, as well as privacy tools and AgentVM.
For more on enterprise-grade networks like Arc, explore how top-tier stablecoin infrastructure platforms power secure and programmable payment systems.
PANews, September 16, according to The Block, Circle announced the official launch of its Layer 1 blockchain Arc mainnet, with protocols such as Aave V4 lending market, Morpho, and Uniswap available from day one. Circle stated that over 100 applications are available at mainnet launch, with more than 100 institutions and ecosystem builders participating. The Arc public testnet went live in October 2025 and has processed over 700 million transactions in less than a year. On the mainnet, users pay Gas fees in USDC, with transaction finality under one second. The network is EVM-compatible, allowing existing Solidity contracts to run directly. In August, Circle announced the list of founding validators, including BlackRock, DTCC, ICE, Mastercard, and Visa among 11 institutions, which will join the network in phases.
Circle completed the genesis minting of 10 billion ARC tokens this week but stated that this does not represent a commitment to a public offering, as the company is exploring a transition from PoA to PoS mechanism in 2027. ARC is planned to serve as a coordination mechanism for network security, utility, and governance, while USDC remains the currency for fee payments. Circle and DTCC plan to support the tokenization of DTC custodied assets on Arc starting in the second half of 2027.
Key Takeaways The Dutch TTF benchmark declined 0.7% to approximately 82.80 euros/MWh following Monday’s 2023 peak Gas storage facilities across Europe stand at merely 68% full, trailing the historical five-year average Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz faces continued disruption as critical negotiations in Oman were delayed Brent crude surged past $113 per barrel following attacks on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure affecting 4% of world supply The Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting commenced Tuesday with markets anticipating a 90% probability of interest rate increases Natural gas prices across Europe experienced a modest decline on Tuesday following a surge to their strongest levels since 2023 during the previous trading session. The Dutch TTF futures contract, serving as Europe’s benchmark, decreased 0.7% to settle near 82.80 euros per megawatt-hour (MWh), slightly beneath Monday’s high of 83.40 euros.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) Across the English Channel, Britain’s NBP wholesale gas benchmark similarly retreated 0.7% to 200.10 pence per therm. Despite the decline, prices remain firmly anchored above the psychologically important 200-pence threshold following recent sessions that saw multi-year highs.
The pullback reflected profit-taking activity among traders following an extended period of market volatility. However, the fundamental factors creating upward pressure on natural gas markets remain firmly in place.
Depleted Storage Inventories Create Vulnerability Underground natural gas storage facilities throughout Europe currently hold approximately 68% of total capacity, based on data from Gas Infrastructure Europe. This figure falls short of the five-year seasonal norm for this period, when inventories typically approach maximum capacity in preparation for winter heating demand.
JERA’s Chief Executive Yukio Kani highlighted these concerns on Monday, cautioning that Europe’s inadequate reserve levels create significant vulnerability for electricity networks should maritime transportation disruptions persist or intensify global competition for liquefied natural gas shipments.
Scheduled maintenance operations at Norwegian gas production facilities are compounding supply concerns, temporarily eliminating another vital source of natural gas flowing into European pipeline networks during a particularly sensitive period.
Middle East Tensions Drive Crude Oil Beyond $113 Brent crude advanced 1.2% during Tuesday trading to exceed $113 per barrel. Saudi Arabian authorities attributed an attack on the kingdom’s East-West pipeline to Iran-backed militant groups, potentially removing up to 4% of worldwide crude oil production from markets.
Ongoing Houthi militant attacks targeting commercial vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes are compounding transportation challenges. Planned diplomatic discussions in Oman intended to establish secure passage protocols for oil tankers navigating the Strait of Hormuz were postponed indefinitely, leaving Qatari LNG shipments traversing the Persian Gulf significantly constrained.
LNG carrier movements through the strategic Strait have declined dramatically. This supply constriction is intensifying global competition and forcing European importers into direct bidding wars with Asian purchasers for available LNG cargoes.
The European Central Bank implemented a quarter-percentage-point rate increase to 2.50% during last Thursday’s policy meeting. The U.S. Federal Reserve launched its two-day monetary policy deliberations on Tuesday, with financial markets assigning a 90% probability to another 25-basis-point rate hike.
Energy market analysts anticipate central banking authorities will maintain elevated interest rates extending into 2027 as persistent energy expenses continue driving inflationary pressures upward.
Notwithstanding Tuesday’s marginal price decline, market experts emphasize that underlying supply-demand fundamentals remain exceptionally tight. The convergence of inadequate storage inventories, compromised maritime transportation routes, and escalating crude oil valuations suggests natural gas prices will struggle to decline significantly absent a definitive resolution to Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions or substantial improvement in European storage levels.
TLDR Natural gas prices across Europe climbed as much as 6% on Monday, reaching levels not witnessed since the 2022-2023 energy emergency Storage facilities in Europe are hovering near 68% capacity, significantly beneath the five-year historical average exceeding 80% The kingdom of Saudi Arabia halted operations on its East-West crude pipeline, limiting bypass alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz The chief executive of JERA cautioned that maritime disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz may persist for an extended period Brent crude oil climbed toward $112 per barrel, intensifying stagflationary concerns throughout the continent Natural gas markets across Europe experienced a dramatic rally on Monday, with prices climbing up to 6% and touching their highest point since the energy emergency of 2022-2023. The surge came as Middle East geopolitical tensions intensified and experts raised alarms about perilously depleted storage reserves heading into the heating season.
Europe’s primary gas benchmark, the Dutch TTF front-month futures contract, climbed to approximately 83-84 euros per megawatt-hour. This represents a level exceeding those observed in January 2023, during Europe’s initial winter season operating with minimal Russian natural gas imports via pipeline.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) Meanwhile, Britain’s NBP wholesale gas benchmark surged nearly 5%, breaching the 200 pence per therm threshold for the first occasion in several years.
Storage at a Decade Low Underground storage facilities across the European continent currently hold just below 70% of total capacity. This stands in stark contrast to 82% at this identical time in 2025 and surpasses the five-year historical average which exceeds 80%.
Energy analysts warn that Europe is approaching the winter heating season with storage reserves among the lowest recorded in the past twenty years. The substantial deviation from historical norms has triggered anxiety throughout energy trading markets.
Yukio Kani, who serves as CEO and Chairman of JERA—Japan’s premier power generation company and among the globe’s largest liquefied natural gas purchasers—delivered a stark warning on Monday. He emphasized that European reserve levels are alarmingly low while disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor may extend beyond current expectations.
Middle East Supply Crunch The catalyst for Monday’s dramatic price movement was the kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend operations on its East-West crude oil pipeline during the weekend. This critical infrastructure enables Saudi Arabia to transport petroleum products while circumventing the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.
Escalating military tensions throughout the Persian Gulf region have already curtailed LNG carrier movements through the strategic waterway to minimal levels. Qatar, ranking among the planet’s foremost LNG exporters, relies extensively on this shipping route.
Houthi militant forces operating from Yemen have pushed closer to Red Sea shipping corridors. Recent attacks targeting regional pipeline networks have complicated access to alternative transportation pathways.
Commodity analysts at Kpler have issued warnings about an emerging worldwide “fight for fuel,” particularly should this winter prove colder than climatological forecasts suggest. Spot market LNG prices throughout Asia reached their highest point since 2022 during the previous week, demonstrating that competition for available shipments is becoming increasingly fierce.
The head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank observed that supply disruptions have propelled European natural gas prices to levels equivalent to crude oil at $140 per barrel.
Energy Costs Add Pressure on Central Banks Brent crude advanced approximately 3-4% during Monday’s trading session, approaching $112 per barrel. This compounds the energy price shock currently impacting European economic activity.
The European Central Bank elevated its deposit facility rate to 2.50% during last Thursday’s policy meeting. With natural gas and petroleum prices continuing their upward trajectory, money market participants now anticipate central banking authorities will maintain restrictive monetary policy settings throughout much of the coming year.
Rapidly escalating energy expenses elevate the probability of more widespread inflation throughout the eurozone currency bloc. This dynamic places monetary policymakers in an increasingly challenging predicament as the winter season approaches.
US data centers are on track to consume more natural gas than nearly every nation within a decade, according to a Bloomberg outlook.
Gas used to generate electricity for data centers is expected to increase by 15 billion cubic feet per day by 2035, even if some planned projects are never built.
That would exceed current consumption in every country except China, Russia, Iran, and the United States. The estimate is more than double BloombergNEF’s previous forecast of 6.9 billion cubic feet per day issued in December.
Natural gas is expected to supply 69% of the power needed by new grid-connected facilities. Abundant US production, relatively low costs, and gas plants’ ability to adjust output quickly make the fuel attractive to data centers that operate around the clock.
The AI buildout is projected to become the second-largest source of US gas-demand growth through 2035, behind new liquefied natural gas export terminals on the Gulf Coast. Power-sector gas use is expected to reach 54 billion cubic feet per day by 2035, up from 36 billion in 2025, while LNG exports add another 21 billion cubic feet per day of demand.
BloombergNEF says the forecast has wide margins of uncertainty because the pace of AI development and construction remains difficult to predict. Still, the simultaneous growth of data centers and LNG exports could require US producers to add 11 billion cubic feet per day beyond their currently projected output increases.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Key Takeaways September saw European gas prices jump more than 40%, reaching levels not witnessed since the beginning of 2023 Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG terminal sustained damage from Iranian missile attacks, eliminating approximately 17% of export capabilities The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint carrying around 20% of worldwide LNG shipments, experiences major shipping constraints European Union gas reserves stand at merely 67% full, trailing typical seasonal levels as winter nears Energy cost pressures prompted the European Central Bank to implement a 25 basis point rate increase European natural gas markets have surged to their loftiest levels since the opening months of 2023, fueled by severe constraints affecting liquefied natural gas deliveries from Middle Eastern producers. The Dutch TTF benchmark contract for front-month delivery skyrocketed beyond 40% throughout September, peaking at 79.64 euros per megawatt-hour before retreating modestly during Friday’s trading session.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) Friday witnessed a roughly 2.5% price decline as market participants secured gains, yet the Dutch benchmark still registered a robust 12.1% weekly advance. This represents the fifth consecutive week of upward momentum. Britain’s corresponding contract similarly climbed 12.6% across the same period.
Qatar lies at the heart of the crisis. The globe’s second-biggest LNG supplier experienced substantial infrastructure damage at its Ras Laffan complex following Iranian missile bombardment in March. Approximately 17% of total LNG shipping capacity was eliminated. QatarEnergy has maintained force majeure declarations on certain contractual deliveries through early November.
Recovery prospects remain uncertain even with regional stabilization. Industry experts project production restoration could require several weeks, while structural damage to Ras Laffan infrastructure may constrain output beneath historical norms for three to five years.
BREAKING: Iran has just struck 2 vessels at the same time with 4 missiles in the US-backed southern Omani corridor of the Strait of Hormuz, while transiting under US escort, with one vessel on fire and the status of the second unknown, per UKMTO.
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) September 10, 2026
The Strait of Hormuz compounds supply anxieties. Direct military confrontations between American forces and Iran have throttled tanker movement through this vital passage. This strategic waterway facilitates approximately 20% of planetary LNG transit.
American strikes targeting Iranian oil vessels and retaliatory Iranian missile launches against U.S. installations in Jordan amplified regional tensions throughout recent days. Yemen’s Houthi forces, aligned with Iranian interests, captured the port city of Mocha, extending maritime threats deeper into Red Sea shipping lanes.
Crude petroleum prices remain anchored above $108 per barrel. These elevated costs have intensified competition among European power generators and Asian purchasers for alternative shipments originating from Atlantic basin suppliers.
Depleted Storage Inventories Amplify Winter Vulnerability European gas storage facilities currently hold approximately 67% of maximum capacity, substantially below five-year historical averages for this period. Injection rates during August and early September were hampered by extended summer heat episodes, scheduled Norwegian pipeline servicing, and unfavorable economic conditions for storage operations.
Commerzbank market specialists indicate the worldwide gas sector faces greater stress than petroleum markets presently. Unlike crude oil, LNG lacks viable alternative shipping corridors should Strait of Hormuz restrictions persist.
Should frigid winter conditions stimulate Asian heating consumption, the scramble for available shipments could escalate dramatically. European markets would confront heightened pressure with diminished alternatives for bridging supply shortfalls.
Energy market turbulence influenced monetary policy decisions directly. The European Central Bank elevated its deposit facility rate by 25 basis points to 2.50% during Thursday’s meeting, marking the second increase this year. ECB officials identified cost-driven inflation stemming from escalating energy expenditures as a primary consideration.
Natural gas valuations persist at elevated thresholds as winter approaches with no immediate resolution visible for ongoing supply constraints.
Key Highlights Natural gas prices in Europe reached a near four-year peak on Wednesday Ongoing conflict involving Iran has eliminated approximately 20% of worldwide LNG capacity European gas inventories stand at 67% capacity—the lowest pre-winter level since 2009 compared to the 84% five-year norm U.S.-based LNG export companies including Cheniere Energy, Venture Global, and NextDecade stand to gain significantly Shares of Venture Global have surged 115% year-to-date, with Equinor climbing 83% Natural gas markets in Europe experienced a dramatic rally this week, with prices climbing to levels not seen in almost four years as supply constraints linked to the Iran conflict coincide with alarmingly low storage reserves.
The widely-tracked Dutch TTF futures contract momentarily breached the 80 euros per megawatt-hour threshold before settling around 79.21 euros during early Wednesday sessions. This marks the most elevated pricing since the closing months of 2022.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) Driving Forces Behind the Rally Military operations involving Iran have eliminated approximately one-fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas output at a particularly challenging moment for European energy security. The region is approaching the critical winter heating period with storage facilities filled to merely 67% of total capacity. Historical data from Wood Mackenzie indicates the typical five-year average for this calendar point sits at 84%.
This significant shortfall is creating anxiety among market participants. Should winter temperatures prove particularly harsh, analysts anticipate prices could escalate further.
An expanding price differential between European and Asian LNG spot markets is compounding the situation. As Asian valuations increase, a greater volume of LNG shipments are redirected eastward, forcing European buyers into more aggressive competition for available supplies.
Across the continent, natural gas serves as the primary fuel source for residential heating systems and power generation facilities, amplifying the consequences for households and policymakers.
Companies Capitalizing on the Surge U.S. companies specializing in LNG exports are positioned as primary beneficiaries of elevated European market prices. Venture Global, which operates liquefaction facilities along Louisiana’s coast, maintains the highest exposure to spot pricing mechanisms among comparable firms. The company’s shares have appreciated 115% since January.
Cheniere Energy, commanding the position as America’s top LNG exporter, has similarly prospered with a 39% gain year-to-date. NextDecade represents another entity profiting from current market dynamics.
Norway’s Equinor, functioning as Europe’s predominant natural gas producer, has witnessed an 83% stock appreciation this year.
Shell also stands to benefit from the situation. The integrated energy giant procures LNG under fixed-price agreements and markets it in regions with peak demand. Its shares currently trade at a multiple of 10 times projected 2027 earnings, representing a discount compared to competitors such as Exxon Mobil at 15 times.
Certain market participants are monitoring American gas production companies including EQT, Range Resources, Antero Resources, Comstock Resources, and Expand Energy. These domestic producers have underperformed due to surplus conditions in the U.S. market, though they could ultimately benefit should increased export activity support domestic pricing.
American LNG shipments presently represent approximately 20% of aggregate production. Industry projections suggest this proportion will nearly double throughout the 2025-2030 timeframe, potentially creating tighter supply conditions domestically.
Portfolio manager Leigh Goehring of Goehring and Rozencwajg Associates indicated last month he maintains an optimistic outlook on U.S. producers as this structural transformation unfolds.
At present, LNG export specialists and European production companies with direct spot market exposure remain the most obvious beneficiaries of current pricing dynamics.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
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SpaceX's intraday decline widens to 5%, currently trading at $146.
According to market data from BIT (bit.com), SpaceX (SPCX) has extended its intraday decline to 5%, currently trading at $146.
33 minutes ago
Project World is continuously optimizing its front-end UI, with user deposits secure and transactions functioning normally.
World, a full on-chain prediction market in the Solana ecosystem, announced in a post that its website is currently experiencing high traffic, with over 1 million users accessing the platform. User deposits remain secure, platform transactions are executing normally, and backend systems are operating as expected. The team is continuing to optimize the frontend user interface, and the overall operation of the platform is in good condition.
33 minutes ago
Iranian officials announced that Iran will escalate its crackdown operations in response to U.S. attacks.
Iranian officials have stated that Iran will escalate its retaliatory strikes in response to the U.S. attack. (Jinshi)
33 minutes ago
US Treasuries extended their decline after the repurchase announcement, with the market viewing the $6 billion cap as insufficient.
The U.S. Treasury Department said it will purchase between $40 billion and $60 billion in long-term government debt in the first operation of its expanded repurchase program, demonstrating Secretary Bessent’s resolve to curb the recent rise in borrowing costs. U.S. Treasuries extended their earlier decline following the announcement, indicating the program’s size fell short of some investors’ expectations. The success of the expanded purchase program remains to be seen. After the program was first announced last month, yields fell before rebounding later. The benchmark 10-year yield hit its highest level since 2023 last week. Economist Guha, a former staffer at the New York Fed, noted: “The challenge always lies in whether the impact of these interventions can persist without larger fundamental changes.” Moreover, the maximum size of the repurchase operation does not mean the Treasury will necessarily purchase that amount of Treasuries. However, in repurchases targeting long-term nominal debt, the department typically buys the full amount; since the program was relaunched in 2024, it has only failed to do so in two of 52 such operations. (Jinshi)
33 minutes ago
Eric Trump mocks Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden over the botched launch of the LAPTOP token, saying he should go back to painting.
US President Donald Trump’s second son Eric Trump reposted a post about the meme coin LAPTOP’s sharp price crash after its launch, commenting: “Hunter should go back to painting.” His remarks target Hunter Biden, son of former US President Joe Biden, who launched the meme coin LAPTOP. The reposted post notes that LAPTOP plummeted 98% within minutes of going live, adding that the project had originally planned to allocate a portion of its tokens to users who incurred losses from TRUMP-related transactions.
33 minutes ago
Solana ecosystem prediction market World officially launches, opening to over 1 million waitlist users.
Solana ecosystem full on-chain prediction market World announced that its independent platform World.xyz has officially launched, with over 1 million users on its waitlist. The platform offers thousands of markets spanning sports, cryptocurrency, politics, finance, economics, and culture, covering all NFL regular seasons, 7 soccer leagues, F1 races, the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, and Federal Reserve interest rate decisions. Since integrating Phantom in July, World has launched more than 150,000 markets. Each market on the platform consists of "Yes" and "No" contracts, priced between $0 and $1, and settled using Phantom’s U.S. dollar stablecoin CASH. Technically, World leverages Chainlink Data Streams and Chainlink Runtime Environment to provide market data and automated settlements, reducing manual intervention and dispute resolution wait times. Prediction markets for stock price movements, gold, silver, oil, natural gas, computing power, and weather will be rolled out sequentially.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
@Ethereum core developers have taken a significant step toward removing one of the most persistent friction points in crypto: the requirement to hold $ETH just to move assets on-chain.
The Problem EIP-8141 Solves EIP-8141 targets that problem directly.
Where $RLUSD Fits In The update opens the door to regulated stablecoins, including Ripple's $RLUSD, being used for gas settlement alongside $USDC and $USDT.
EIP-8141 would bring this capability natively into the base protocol, making stablecoin gas payments a standard feature rather than an opt-in workaround.
Sources:
CoinDesk: Ethereum Commits to Letting Users Pay Gas Fees Without Holding Ether
Crypto.news: Ethereum EIP-8141 Could Remove Need for Users to Hold ETH for Gas
Ripple: Ripple USD (RLUSD) Stablecoin
European natural gas markets climbed more than 4%, breaching €74/MWh for the first time in three years Tehran intends to establish a maritime restricted zone near the Strait of Hormuz after American military strikes targeted Iranian tankers Approximately 20% of worldwide LNG shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, predominantly originating from Qatar Gas reserves across Europe stand at merely 62%, trailing the five-year seasonal norm by 17 percentage points Market expectations point to a 25 basis point interest rate increase from the ECB amid 3.3% inflation driven by energy costs Natural gas prices across Europe experienced a sharp rally Monday, touching heights unseen since the final weeks of 2023. The primary Dutch futures contract advanced to approximately €73.80 per megawatt-hour, approaching the previous week’s summit of €74.32.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) Across the Channel, British wholesale gas markets registered a 2% increase, hovering around 182.50 pence per therm, approaching the 2023 zenith of 183.95 pence.
The upward momentum follows intensifying military confrontations between Washington and Tehran in Persian Gulf waters.
Middle East Standoff Puts LNG Transit at Risk Iranian authorities revealed intentions to establish a restricted naval zone adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz within days. The announcement follows weekend operations by American military forces that struck and incapacitated three Iranian petroleum tankers.
BREAKING: Iran launches anti-ship ballistic missiles from Chabahar, southeastern Iran, toward vessels under US Navy escort in the US-backed southern Omani corridor of the Strait of Hormuz, per initial reports.
For the first time, the US Navy is escorting vessels during daylight,…
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) September 7, 2026
The Pentagon justified the military action as a response to Iranian ballistic missile launches targeting two US Naval vessels operating in regional waters.
The strategic waterway facilitates approximately one-fifth of international liquefied natural gas shipments, with Qatar serving as the primary source. Any interruption to maritime passage through this chokepoint would sever a critical supply artery feeding European markets.
European energy companies now find themselves in direct competition with Asian purchasers for Atlantic basin LNG cargoes to compensate for potential supply disruptions.
Market participants remain vigilant as the tit-for-tat military actions demonstrate no indication of de-escalation.
Depleted Storage Levels Compound Winter Concerns The geopolitical crisis arrives at an inopportune moment for European energy infrastructure. Underground storage inventories currently sit at approximately 62% capacity, significantly below the five-year historical average by roughly 17 percentage points.
Unusually warm temperatures throughout Southern European regions during summer months elevated gas consumption for power generation. Scheduled maintenance on Norwegian pipeline infrastructure and postponed Qatari LNG shipments further constrained storage replenishment efforts throughout August.
Should LNG imports face disruption during autumn months, energy analysts caution that Europe may confront severe price volatility and potential supply allocation measures during peak winter demand.
Meanwhile, Brent crude oil continues trading above $90 per barrel, compounding overall energy cost pressures.
Central Bank Policy Meeting Draws Attention Escalating energy expenses are amplifying inflationary pressures throughout the eurozone economy. Consumer price inflation registered 3.3% in August, with energy components surging 14.3% on an annual basis.
The European Central Bank convenes Thursday for its policy meeting. Financial markets have almost completely priced in a 25 basis point interest rate increase under President Christine Lagarde’s leadership.
Elevated energy input expenses are constraining both European industrial operations and household budgets, complicating the central bank’s monetary policy calculus.
The convergence of depleted inventories, supply chain vulnerabilities, and accelerating inflation has created substantial anxiety in European energy markets as the heating season approaches.
According to on-chain analyst Yu Jin Monitoring, a news-driven trader scooped up the Hakimi token within one second of Binance releasing its contract listing announcement. The trader paid a total of 40.8 BNB (≈$31,000) in node bribes and gas fees, then sold most of his position to net roughly $378,000 in profit. The announcement was published at 13:55:12; within that same second, the trader paid 35.3 BNB (≈$26,800) in bribes to the BNB48 Club node, used a private RPC channel to buy 9.89 million Hakimi tokens for 264.7 BNB (≈$200,000) at an average price of ~$0.02 per token, plus an extra 5.5 BNB (≈$4,200) in gas fees. After other traders piled in to drive up the token’s price, the news-driven trader sold most of his position in batches at an average of ~$0.058 per token.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
A Wisconsin utility just put real money behind fusion energy, and the reason has less to do with scientific curiosity than with keeping the lights on for AI data centers.
Realta Fusion, a Madison-based startup developing magnetic mirror fusion technology, announced a partnership with Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) to jointly develop a 200-megawatt electric fusion power plant in Wisconsin. The facility is designed to power roughly 150,000 homes and is targeting operation sometime in the 2030s.
MGE isn’t just signing a future power purchase agreement. The utility made a direct equity investment in Realta, described as “meaningful,” and will provide engineering support, equipment, and assistance with permitting and financing. That makes this one of the earliest examples of a regulated utility embedding itself in a fusion company’s cap table during the technology’s development phase, not after it’s proven.
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Why utilities are suddenly interested in fusion Data centers consume enormous amounts of power, and their expansion shows no sign of slowing. For utilities like MGE, which serves approximately 170,000 customers in southern Wisconsin, the math is straightforward: future load growth requires future generation capacity, and the clean kind is preferable.
MGE has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. Solar and wind help, but they’re intermittent. Fusion, if it works at scale, offers something neither can: baseload, carbon-free power that runs around the clock without weather dependency.
Realta’s technical edge and recent milestones Realta Fusion pursues a path called magnetic mirror fusion, which differs from the tokamak designs favored by better-known competitors. Where tokamaks confine plasma in a donut-shaped chamber, magnetic mirrors use linear geometry to trap and compress it.
In June 2026, Realta hit a milestone that lent credibility to that argument. The company became the first commercial fusion entity to convert plasma kinetic energy directly into electricity.
The company is also building out the “Realta Forge” research and development facility at the site of a former Oscar Mayer plant in Madison. The project is backed by up to $55 million in state and local incentives and is expected to create over 600 jobs. The facility will house prototype fusion devices and serve as the proving ground for technology intended to scale into the planned 200 MWe power plant.
The competitive landscape for fusion energy Realta is far from the only fusion startup attracting utility and investor attention. Companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Helion Energy, and TAE Technologies have collectively raised billions in private capital. Commonwealth Fusion has backing from Bill Gates and Google, while Helion signed a power purchase agreement with Microsoft in 2023.
What sets the Realta-MGE deal apart is the structure. Most utility involvement in fusion has been limited to offtake agreements, essentially a promise to buy power if and when it’s available. MGE’s equity stake and hands-on engineering role represent a deeper commitment.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
3 September 2026 | 13:40 Robinhood Chain has led DefiLlama’s revenue ranking, but its $4 million day reflects gas, trading and token launches, not proof that stock tokens drove the surge alone.
Key Takeaways Robinhood Chain led DefiLlama’s revenue ranking. Gas fees supplied chain revenue. Trading apps generated large user fees. App revenue is separate from chain revenue. Stock-token demand remains hard to isolate. A revenue lead, not a Robinhood earnings report All DefiLlama figures are live rolling 24-hour readings and can change after publication. At the time of writing, DefiLlama’s live revenue ranking placed Robinhood Chain first with $4.01 million in 24-hour chain revenue, ahead of Canton at $1.69 million and Tron at about $874,000.
DefiLlama chains revenue dashboard ranking top networks. The result needs context. DefiLlama’s chain-revenue metric is not Robinhood Markets’ corporate income. It measures revenue retained by the network after Ethereum execution and data costs, as well as the share allocated through the Arbitrum Expansion Program.
Robinhood’s public mainnet is an Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 built with Arbitrum technology. It was designed to support tokenized assets and open DeFi activity, but the revenue dashboard measures what people paid to use the network, not which Robinhood product created each transaction.
Most of the chain’s revenue came from gas Users pay ETH to send transactions and interact with applications on Robinhood Chain. Those payments cover Layer 2 execution and the cost of posting data back to Ethereum. The network recorded $4.45 million in gross transaction fees—ETH paid for Robinhood Chain gas, during the same 24-hour period.
That gap is why fees and revenue should not be treated as interchangeable. Fees show what users spent; revenue estimates what the chain retained after its specified costs.
$4.45M
Chain fees
The gross amount users paid in ETH to transact on the network.
$4.01M
Chain revenue
The net amount DefiLlama attributes to the chain after listed costs and revenue sharing.
$4.32M
App revenue
Revenue retained by applications on the chain, measured separately from network revenue.
The Arbitrum Expansion Program receives 10% of Robinhood Chain’s net revenue, with 80% directed to the Arbitrum DAO treasury and 20% to a developer fund, according to DefiLlama’s methodology.
Trading and launches are generating the largest fees The application-level breakdown shows where users spent the most. DefiLlama’s fee dashboard listed Uniswap as the largest source of user-paid application fees, at about $8.92 million. That is a swap-fee total paid by traders, not $8.92 million of revenue retained by Uniswap.
Pons and GMGN also stand out. Pons collects launch and swap fees, while GMGN charges users who trade through its bot. Together, the data points to crypto-native activity, swaps, token launches and automated trading, as a major source of the day’s onchain spending.
What users were paying for
Application
Activity measured
Fees, 24h
Revenue, 24h
Uniswap
Swap fees paid by traders
$8.92M
$348.8K
GMGN
Trading-bot fees
$2.65M
$2.22M
Pons
Token launches and swaps
$5.95M
$1.11M
The application figures belong to their respective protocols. They should not be added to Robinhood Chain’s $4.01 million of net chain revenue because they measure a different layer of the ecosystem.
The dashboard does not isolate Stock Token demand Robinhood built the network to support tokenized stocks, exchange-traded funds and other real-world assets. Its live dashboard showed about $196 million in active RWA market capitalization, $1.40 billion in DEX volume and $304.6 million in perpetual-futures volume when checked.
Those readings show substantial activity, but they do not reveal how much of the day’s gas or application fees came from Stock Tokens. The available data therefore cannot support a claim that tokenized equities caused the revenue surge. What it does show is that trading infrastructure is currently producing large amounts of fee-paying usage around the chain.
Why the Arbitrum connection matters Robinhood Chain’s revenue is also relevant beyond its own network because a portion flows back into Arbitrum’s ecosystem. That relationship is part of the chain’s design, which Coindoo explored in its analysis of Robinhood Chain’s growth within the Arbitrum ecosystem.
The contrast with Arbitrum Nova’s move into reduced support is clear. Robinhood Chain is generating fee-paying activity while Nova’s user and DeFi activity declined before its support model was reduced.
What would show the surge is lasting A single 24-hour lead does not establish a durable business. The next signal will be whether chain revenue remains high after launch and trading activity cools, while DEX volume, stablecoin balances and RWA activity continue to rise together.
Readers can follow the live revenue ranking, fee breakdown and Robinhood Chain metrics. A sustained mix of network fees and real-world-asset activity would be stronger evidence than one day of activity dominated by crypto-native trading.
Author
Kosta has reported on cryptocurrency markets and blockchain infrastructure since 2020, bringing over six years of hands-on experience in the crypto industry built through daily tracking of markets, trends, and emerging blockchain developments. Specializing in Bitcoin on-chain analysis, institutional ETF flows, and digital asset price action, his work at Coindoo has been cited by other news agencies and consistently covers market developments with a focus on data-driven reporting across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. Over the years, Kosta has contributed to multiple crypto media outlets in different regions, authoring over 6,000 articles across the sector. His reporting spans cryptocurrency markets and the broader fintech industry, tracking not only price action but also the technological and regulatory forces shaping the ecosystem. To support his analysis, Kosta actively leverages on-chain data and metrics from leading platforms such as Santiment, Glassnode, and CryptoQuant, enabling deeper, evidence-based market insights. He believes in the power of transparency and the data that underpins the blockchain ecosystem. His academic background in Marketing Management from Denmark further complements his analytical approach, adding a strong understanding of communication strategy and content positioning to his work.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
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European natural gas prices climbed to their highest level in over 3 years, as renewed US strikes on Iran deepened concerns over prolonged disruption to energy flows from the Persian Gulf.
Europe’s benchmark, Dutch front-month futures, surged to 73.85 euros per megawatt-hour in early European trading. It has gained roughly 25% over the past month. At press time, it stood at 72.2 euros.
Dutch Front Month Futures Chart. Source: TradingViewFollow us on X to get the latest news as it happens
Storage Shortfall Leaves Europe ExposedThe front-month contract has not traded this high since the end of 2022, according to the Wall Street Journal. The rally reflects a supply problem that predates this week’s escalation.
EU gas stocks were 63% full in the final week of August. That sits well below the 80% average for late August in recent years.
Storage operators normally refill throughout the summer, when both demand and prices are lower. Gas analyst Greg Molnar said continued injection at the current pace could leave EU gas storage at just 72 bcm.
That would put inventories 20%, or 19 bcm, below the five-year average. It would also mark the lowest storage level since 2013.
“Low storage levels are naturally increasing the risk of heightened winter price volatility,” he said.
Energy Costs Reach Consumer PricesThe shock has already landed in the eurozone inflation data. Inflation rose 3.3% in the year to August, up from 2.9% in July. Energy inflation drove the move, accelerating to 14.3%. Core inflation eased to 2.4%.
Escalation around the Strait of Hormuz has also clouded prospects for a recovery in regional liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Roughly 20% of global LNG shipments cross the waterway.
Analysts at ING said Europe currently outbids Asia for cargoes once shipping costs are counted. However, they expect competition between the two regions to intensify if Qatari volumes remain absent through year-end.
Goldman Sachs analysts said the benchmark may need to move above 100 euros per megawatt-hour should Middle East exports normalize only gradually through 2027. Meanwhile, Morningstar analyst Tancrede Fulop told CNBC that a cold winter could drive prices into the 90-120 euro range.
The squeeze is spilling into risk assets. Asian equities slid after strikes on Iran, while Bitcoin (BTC) reacted to the same escalation.
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Key Takeaways The Dutch TTF gas benchmark jumped above €70/MWh, marking the highest level since March 2026 Military confrontation between US and Iran near the Strait of Hormuz has escalated, with US strikes on Iranian positions prompting missile attacks on American bases in Jordan Approximately 20% of worldwide LNG shipments transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains largely inaccessible Gas inventories across Europe stand at merely 62-64% of capacity, significantly trailing the five-year average for this season Analysts at Goldman Sachs project potential prices reaching €100/MWh should Middle Eastern supply disruptions continue through 2027 Natural gas markets in Europe surged to their loftiest levels in half a year this week following renewed military action between Washington and Tehran, sparking concerns over liquefied natural gas availability through critical Persian Gulf shipping lanes.
The front-month Dutch TTF benchmark contract touched €70.85 per megawatt-hour during Monday’s trading session, followed by an additional 1.3% gain on Tuesday to settle at €71.30. Meanwhile, Britain’s NBP wholesale gas benchmark leaped 6.4% to 175.40 pence per therm as market participants returned following a bank holiday.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) The price acceleration followed weekend operations by American military forces targeting Iranian missile installations on Larak Island positioned near the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran’s response included launching ballistic missiles toward US military installations in Jordan.
US President Donald Trump has issued warnings of additional military action targeting Iranian critical infrastructure, while diplomatic initiatives aimed at reopening commercial navigation through the strategic waterway have achieved minimal progress.
The Strategic Importance of the Strait of Hormuz The Strait of Hormuz represents one of the planet’s most vital energy transit points. Approximately 20% of global liquefied natural gas commerce flows through this narrow passage, with substantial volumes originating from Qatari export facilities.
BREAKING: Brent crude oil prices surge above $92/barrel after two oil tankers are struck in the Strait of Hormuz.
Markets are pricing-in another wave of inflation. pic.twitter.com/E8bgCHfaRd
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) September 1, 2026
The channel remains virtually impassable to commercial traffic, severing a vital supply line for LNG carriers bound for European and Asian markets. QatarEnergy has notified Italian utility Edison that force majeure provisions suspending LNG shipments will remain in effect until early November due to ongoing hostilities.
The contract between Edison and Qatar typically accounts for roughly 10% of Italy’s yearly gas requirements. Edison has confirmed it is securing alternative supply sources.
Inadequate Storage Compounds the Crisis Europe was confronting supply challenges even before the current military escalation. Continental gas storage infrastructure held just 62-64% of total capacity, based on figures from Gas Infrastructure Europe. This represents approximately 17 percentage points beneath the five-year seasonal norm for this period.
Germany and the Netherlands face potential shortfalls in meeting their respective storage objectives of 70% and 80% ahead of the November 1 deadline. Elevated prices have hampered injection activities because the spread between summer and winter valuations has frequently proven insufficient to justify storage economics.
Sebastian Heinermann, who serves as managing director for German gas storage trade group INES, cautioned that inadequate storage combined with severe winter conditions could leave Germany unable to satisfy typical consumption requirements.
European energy companies now find themselves in fierce competition with Asian purchasers for available spot LNG shipments, driving up both shipping costs and cargo valuations.
Analysts from Goldman Sachs cautioned in recent commentary that should Middle Eastern energy shipments normalize only incrementally throughout 2027, December 2026 TTF valuations would probably need to exceed €100/MWh.
Escalating gas valuations are simultaneously contributing to wider inflationary pressures. Eurozone headline consumer price inflation climbed to 3.3% on an annualized basis in August, propelled predominantly by energy expenses. The European Central Bank convenes on September 10, with market participants anticipating another 25-basis-point rate hike.
