Feb 24, 2025: Our weekly Institutional Insights explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

 explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

Weekly Highlight — Mixed Economic Data Leads to Risk-Off Strategies

For the past two months, the strong U.S. economy has given investors confidence to invest in markets, even amidst looming tariffs and a stricter Federal Reserve Board. However, recent data indicates that this support may be weakening.

Last Friday, several reports on consumer sentiment, housing and services contributed to the S&P 500's largest loss of the year as it fell 1.7%, wiping out its weekly gains. In contrast, bonds experienced a rally, driving the yield on 10-year Treasuries down to 4.43%. The VIX {

the Chicago Board Options Exchange's (CBOE) Volatility Index

, known as the "fear gauge"] spiked, but remained below 20, signaling increased market anxiety.

Previously, optimism among investors was fueled by speculation regarding U.S. president Trump’s policies promoting disinflationary growth. However, mixed economic signals are now causing concern, particularly a report showing a decline in consumer sentiment alongside rising long-term inflation expectations — the largest drop since 1995. Additionally, existing U.S. home sales fell for the first time since September 2024, further complicating the outlook.

While January's job growth appeared solid, with 143,000 jobs added and the unemployment rate stable, institutional investors began the year with a pro-risk stance, optimistic about the U.S. economy’s trajectory. Yet, the recent volatility in economic data has prompted a reevaluation of strategies.

Weekly Crypto Highlight — SEC May Drop Lawsuit Against Coinbase

Coinbase announced that the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has agreed to drop its lawsuit accusing Coinbase of operating an illegal exchange, pending Commissioners’ approval. Following this news, Coinbase shares initially surged in premarket trading, but fell by 4% to $246.30 as of midday in New York. Bitcoin also declined by about 1%, trading at around $97,000.

This decision signals a shift from the aggressive regulatory stance of former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who faced criticism from the crypto industry for enforcing regulations through lawsuits. Last week, the SEC likewise requested a pause on a similar case against Binance, highlighting ongoing developments regarding a regulatory framework for digital assets.

The SEC's complaint will be unfairly dismissed, meaning it cannot be refiled. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated that this dismissal will entail no fines or changes in the company’s operations.

Coinbase has actively engaged in Washington, D.C., donating millions to support pro-crypto candidates and recently adding Chris LaCivita, a former Trump campaign manager, to its advisory council. Armstrong has also communicated with Trump directly.

The SEC initially sued Coinbase in June 2023 amidst a broader crackdown on the digital asset industry following the 

. Gensler had claimed that many tokens fell under SEC jurisdiction. 

The dismissal alleviates a significant burden on Coinbase, allowing it to list more tokens and refocus on product development, rather than legal defenses. This outcome removes a key litigation risk, enhancing Coinbase's capacity to innovate. The company recently reported strong fourth-quarter earnings, and now aims to collaborate with Congress and regulators in order to establish clearer rules for the crypto landscape.

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Weekly Institutional Insights: Mixed Economic Data Rattles Market; SEC May Dismiss Lawsuit

Learn everything you need to know about Bybit's recent security incident and the next steps in this article.

Security breaches have shaped the cryptocurrency industry for over a decade, forcing exchanges to evolve, users to become more cautious, and regulators to tighten their oversight. From the infamous 

 collapse to the Binance security breach and 

, history has shown that while no platform is immune to threats, those that respond swiftly and transparently can emerge stronger than ever.

 where over $1.5 billion worth of ETH and stETH were compromised, and while any breach is a serious concern, our rapid response and transparency set us apart from past incidents. Unlike FTX, where billions disappeared in mere hours due to mismanagement, Bybit immediately secured assets, froze affected wallets, and maintained full platform operations. Funds remain backed 1:1, and users can continue to trade, withdraw, and deposit without disruption.

Looking at past events, we can understand how crypto security has evolved, what lessons were learned, and what the industry must do next to ensure a safer future.

A Look Back: The Most Notorious Crypto Hacks That Changed the Industry

One of the earliest and most devastating exchange hacks, 

 — valued at $450 million at the time, but worth over $36 billion today. The platform’s weak security, lack of cold storage, and failure to detect suspicious transactions led to its downfall.

The lesson was clear: Exchanges must prioritize secure wallet management, rigorous internal controls, and transparency. The Mt. Gox collapse led to better industry-wide custodial practices, ensuring that no single exchange could operate without proper security measures in place.

 due to a smart contract vulnerability. In a surprising turn of events, the hacker returned the funds, proving that on-chain tracking and community response could play a key role in recovering stolen assets.

The attack showed that DeFi projects need more rigorous security audits and multi-signature controls to prevent exploits at the smart contract level.

Unlike traditional exchange hacks, FTX’s downfall wasn’t due to external attackers but rather internal mismanagement and misuse of customer funds. In just two hours, billions of dollars were withdrawn, leaving users helpless as the platform collapsed.

This event reshaped the industry by accelerating Proof of Reserves (PoR) adoption, a transparency measure that allows users to verify an exchange’s solvency. FTX’s failure highlighted the need for stricter regulations, better internal accountability, and clear asset-backing policies.

In October 2022, Binance suffered a $570 million hack after attackers exploited a vulnerability in BSC Token Hub, a cross-chain bridge used to transfer assets between blockchains. The exploit allowed hackers to move 2 million BNB tokens off the network. 

Binance’s swift response helped limit the damage, with the exchange pausing the BNB Chain for several hours. This attack highlighted the risks associated with cross-chain bridges, reinforcing the need for stricter smart contract audits, real-time threat detection, and stronger validator coordination to prevent similar exploits in the future. 

Each of these incidents led to major security advancements and industry-wide improvements. Now, Bybit faces its own challenge — and just like Binance and other top exchanges, we are committed to coming back stronger than ever.

How Exchanges Have Improved Security Over Time

The best exchanges don’t just survive hacks—they emerge stronger by adopting new security protocols, improving transparency, and prioritizing user protection.

One of the most significant changes has been the shift to cold storage dominance, where most exchanges now keep 90% or more of user funds in offline wallets to minimize exposure to potential attacks. Security audits have also become an industry norm, with regular penetration testing, bug bounty programs, and white-hat hacker collaborations helping to identify and fix vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

User protection funds, like Binance’s SAFU, have set a new standard for ensuring users don’t bear the cost of security breaches. AI-powered fraud detection and real-time transaction tracking have also become essential tools for identifying suspicious activity before it escalates.

Beyond individual exchange improvements, the broader industry has adapted through regulatory changes. Proof of Reserves (

) has become a key transparency measure, allowing users to verify an exchange’s solvency. Licensing requirements and exchange accountability frameworks have also become more stringent, making it harder for bad actors to operate unchecked.

How Bybit’s Response to the Crypto Hack Sets a New Standard

The way an exchange responds to a security incident defines its long-term reputation and user trust. Over the years, some platforms have struggled to manage hacks transparently, while others have turned crises into opportunities to strengthen security. Bybit’s response to this incident demonstrates our commitment to transparency, operational resilience, and user protection.

The speed of response is one of the most critical factors in mitigating damage during an attack. Bybit acted immediately, isolating affected wallets and preventing further losses. Unlike past incidents where breaches went undetected for hours or even days, Bybit’s security teams responded in real time. The ability to contain the situation quickly is a testament to our proactive monitoring systems, robust security protocols, and dedicated cybersecurity team.

Full Transparency and Real-Time Communication

Many users lose confidence in exchanges when there is a lack of clear communication during a crisis. From the start, Bybit has maintained full transparency, providing regular updates to reassure users that their assets remain secure and backed 1:1.

Rather than delaying information or releasing vague statements, Bybit has been upfront about the incident, outlining the exact steps taken to contain the breach and reinforce security. This level of openness is crucial in maintaining user trust and setting a new industry standard for responsible crisis management.

One of the biggest concerns during an exchange hack is whether users will face withdrawal restrictions or see trading halted. Bybit ensured that trading, deposits, and withdrawals remained fully operational throughout the incident.

This highlights the exchange’s financial strength and liquidity, ensuring that user funds were not affected. No restrictions were placed on withdrawals, and all assets remained backed 1:1. 

Bybit isn’t just focused on resolving the immediate issue; we are using this incident as a catalyst to further enhance security across the platform. While we already implement industry-leading security measures, we are now working with top blockchain security firms to audit our systems and implement even more advanced security solutions.

Bybit remains financially strong, with all user funds fully backed and secure. Our commitment to industry-leading security practices, user transparency, and rapid response times ensures that we will emerge from this incident stronger than ever.

As the crypto industry continues to evolve, Bybit is setting a new standard for how exchanges should handle security challenges — with transparency, operational resilience, and an unwavering commitment to user protection.

While exchanges continue to improve security, users must also take proactive steps to safeguard their assets. Here’s how you can strengthen your crypto security:

 or SMS-based 2FA to add an extra layer of protection. This prevents unauthorized access even if your password is compromised.

Use withdrawal whitelisting to ensure only pre-approved wallet addresses can receive funds. This minimizes risks from phishing scams or unauthorized transactions.

If you’re holding large amounts of crypto, consider hardware wallets like Ledger or Trezor. Unlike exchange hot wallets, cold storage keeps assets offline and safe from cyberattacks.

Hackers often exploit major security incidents by impersonating exchange support teams. Always:

Enable transaction alerts to receive real-time notifications for any account activity. Report any suspicious actions immediately to Bybit support.

By following these best practices, you can further protect your assets even during uncertain times.

The Bybit incident reinforces the need for continuous security improvements across the industry. Moving forward, we can expect:

Stricter Security Standards for Exchanges

Regulators may push for mandatory insurance funds to protect users in the event of security breaches. Additionally, exchanges will be expected to adopt stronger internal controls and more frequent security audits.

To combat sophisticated attacks, exchanges will likely invest in AI-driven risk monitoring that detects anomalies before a hack can escalate.

Greater Transparency and Proof of Reserves

 to ensure their funds are secure. Bybit remains committed to maintaining full backing of user assets and transparent operational updates.

More exchanges may introduce hybrid custody models, where users can trade while maintaining partial self-custody of their assets.

Crypto’s Strength Lies in Solidarity: Bybit’s Gratitude to Partners and Users

One of the most powerful takeaways from this incident has been the overwhelming support from our partners, industry leaders, and users. As soon as the news broke, top security firms, blockchain analytics teams, and exchange partners reached out, offering their expertise and assistance to track the stolen assets and enhance security.

We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from our community. Crypto has always been an industry built on resilience and collaboration, and this event has reinforced that when one exchange is attacked, the industry stands together to protect users and strengthen security.

Bybit would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our partners, users, and the broader crypto ecosystem for standing with us during this time. Your trust, patience, and unwavering support fuel our commitment to come back stronger, set new security benchmarks, and continue providing a safe and innovative trading experience.

Bybit’s Commitment to a Stronger Future

Despite this setback, Bybit remains one of the strongest and most well-respected exchanges globally. Our response to this incident proves that:

Bybit’s journey doesn’t end here. We will continue to improve, evolve, and set new security standards for the industry.

The crypto space must learn from every challenge, and with greater security, transparency, and resilience, we can build a safer, more trustworthy future for all users.

The road ahead is clear — Bybit is here to stay, and we are stronger than ever.

For real-time updates, you may refer to our official channels such as the 

Beginner

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Hacks That Strengthened Crypto: Responses That Build a Safer Future For All

As of mid-February 2025, the cryptocurrency market is experiencing movements driven by economic pressures and regulatory movements. 

As of mid-February 2025, the cryptocurrency market is experiencing movements driven by economic pressures and regulatory movements. Recent inflation data has rattled financial markets, leading to a sharp reassessment of expectations for Federal Reserve policy. A higher-than-expected Consumer Price Index (CPI) report has caused Bitcoin to dip below $94.2K before rebounding to approximately $98.1K. This fluctuation illustrates how macroeconomic factors are increasingly influencing digital assets, mirroring trends seen since early 2022 when the Fed began raising interest rates.

Santiment data reveals that discussions around the terms “CPI” and “inflation” surged to 1.75% of all crypto conversations, the highest level since 2022. This heightened sensitivity indicates that when markets are stagnant or declining, economic news is met with increased concern and fear, often leading to sell-offs. Despite the increased uncertainty, Bitcoin has demonstrated resilience, staying above the $98K mark. Nevertheless, continued inflation could lead to further volatility in risk assets such equities and crypto.

The LIBRA scandal has further complicated the crypto landscape. Argentine President Javier Milei's endorsement of the cryptocurrency led to a dramatic rise — and an even more significant fall in value, as it plummeted by 80% within days. Allegations of fraud surrounding Milei have intensified scrutiny of speculative assets, particularly meme coins, leading to a crisis of confidence among investors.

The fallout from this scandal reflects a broader trend of growing impatience with high-risk assets. Retail sentiment has turned bearish, as evidenced by increased mentions of selling across social media platforms. This shift highlights the need for thorough research before investing in speculative projects. The LIBRA incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with relying solely on endorsements for investment decisions, prompting many traders to seek more stable and established cryptocurrencies.

Emerging Opportunities and Investor Behavior

Litecoin is gaining traction, driven by the possibility of a spot ETF approval that could pave the way for broader access to altcoins, further maturing the crypto market. As discussions around the term “Litecoin ETF” spike, market analysts are optimistic about the likelihood of approval, which could enhance investor interest in Litecoin and similar assets.

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Bybit x Santiment: LIBRA Scandal Gives Rise to Meme Coin Crisis; Litecoin ETF Anticipations Build Up

KAITO is the core currency of Kaito AI’s InfoFi ecosystem, enabling transactions, governance, staking, and community engagement.

The S&P 500 fell 0.43% amid Walmart’s weak outlook, with investors eyeing PMI and home sales data next. Gold rose 0.23% to $2,939 on safe-haven demand but retreated from a $2,954 high. Traders await S&P Global Flash PMIs. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was up by 0.02%, with Bitcoin and Ether rising by 2.46% and 0.69%, respectively in the past 24 hours. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today’s top performer is BERA, which surged nearly 15.8% after The Graph integrated Berachain Mainnet on day one, enabling seamless onchain data access.

Berachain (BERA), founded in 2021, is a Layer 1 blockchain with Proof-of-Liquidity consensus, ensuring security and liquidity while maintaining full Ethereum compatibility. The Graph has 

 support for the newly launched Berachain mainnet from day one. Developers can now query Berachain data using Subgraph Studio, making it easier to organize and access onchain data. This integration enables the creation of fast and efficient frontends for Berachain-powered dapps.

Check Out the Latest Prices, Charts, and Data of 

 is the core currency of Kaito AI’s InfoFi ecosystem, enabling transactions, governance, staking, and community engagement. The total supply is allocated as follows: 56.67% to community and ecosystem initiatives (including ecosystem growth, creator incentives, and liquidity rewards), 25% to core contributors, 10% to the foundation, and 8.3% to early backers. Distribution is merit-based, using AI-driven assessments of engagement, governance participation, and long-term alignment with Kaito’s vision. Staking provides rewards and voting rights, ensuring active participation. A claim process for KAITO will be announced soon.

Yesterday, BTC Spot ETFs recorded a net outflow of $252.8M, including $33.5M from GBTC and $219.3M from non-GBTC funds.

. With $43 million in funding, this presents a valuable opportunity. To maximize your points, complete the "Generate at least one transaction on Sahara Testnet" task by sending a small amount of SAHARA via Metamask. This earns 20 points, a significant amount compared to other tasks. Ensure you take full advantage of this opportunity.

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KAITO Powers the InfoFi Ecosystem with Governance Staking and Community Rewards

Bybit Learn

Blockchain

Explainers

Altcoins

Across Protocol (ACX) enables seamless, low-cost cross-chain transfers with intent-based transactions, enhancing DeFi accessibility and security.

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Transferring crypto assets from one blockchain network to another is still cumbersome, costly and inconvenient for many users, particularly those without a deep technical understanding of the technology. Numerous 

 solutions have emerged to facilitate the process, but the costs and complexity of crypto transfers are still an issue limiting the adoption of cross-chain 

Across Protocol (ACX) is a blockchain project that aims to tackle this problem by offering highly efficient, low-cost and secure cross-chain transactions based on intent technology. 

Intents — transaction requests with prespecified conditions — have seen rapid adoption in the blockchain industry. Across Protocol has focused its service offerings on using this promising technology. Begun in 2021 as a solution to facilitate token transfers between 

 networks linked to the blockchain, the protocol has evolved through two major version upgrades into a modular cross-chain solution that DApp operators can easily integrate into their platforms.

The protocol’s latest iteration, Across V3, features a modular settlement layer that 

 (DeFi) platforms can leverage to offer their users seamless, intent-based cross-chain swaps and asset transfers, all without leaving the user app’s native interface.

 (ACX) is an intent-based, modular web3 solution that offers cross-chain crypto transfers and swaps.

 Using the protocol, DApp operators can integrate Across into their own solutions to let their end users conduct intent-based cross-chain operations.

Across is not a newcomer to the blockchain scene — the project was launched in late 2021 and might be considered one of the first, if not the first, decentralized protocols specializing in intent-based cross-chain transactions. The original protocol, now known as Across V1, was primarily limited to enabling direct asset transfers between Ethereum and Layer 2 chains connected to the world's largest 

In June 2022, the protocol underwent its first significant upgrade with the introduction of Across V2. This upgrade improved the overall efficiency of the platform and introduced new functions. The major difference between V1 and V2 was that the latter could facilitate further intent-based transactions after the transfer of assets from the origin chain to the destination network. In contrast, Across V1 was limited to simple asset bridging between chains.

However, the protocol's most significant upgrade arrived in the form of Across V3, announced in February 2024, which introduced asset swap functionality and architectural modularity, allowing Across to act as a pluggable solution for various DeFi applications. Across V3 also simplified the calculation of fees for cross-chain operations. With Across V3, DApps of various kinds — primarily in the DeFi niche — can easily integrate intent-based cross-chain asset transfers, swaps and liquidity solutions into their own platforms. The protocol provides a set of APIs for developers for such integration.

The best part is that users of these DApps don't need to leave the platforms' native interfaces to execute the cross-chain operations. All of the activities supported by Across Protocol are carried out via the client's DApp interface. This is in stark contrast to the typical cross-chain experience for many web3 users, as they need to use multiple interfaces — e.g., one provided by an asset bridging solution and another at the destination app they use — to carry out their desired crypto operations.

Transactions executed by the protocol are based on user intents. Intents are conditional requests from users to perform some action, e.g., a token swap from ETH to USDT, if specific requirements are met, e.g., the swap rate is no lower than a certain value of ETH. In reality, many intents are executable transactions in the form of 

. Intent-based transactions have recently become popular in the crypto industry, due to benefits such as the limit on swap rates, a no-slippage fee model and other conditions that perfectly fit users' intended outcomes.

User intents are passed to Across's decentralized network or relayers, also known as solvers or fillers, which look for the best on-chain sources to satisfy the requests. Relayers compete with each other to offer the best solution to the user's stated outcome. The relayer that provides the best outcome earns the right to execute the transaction. This competitive relayer landscape allows end users to access the best possible rates for their cross-chain transfers and swaps.

Across Protocol locks user funds allocated for a transaction in an escrow pool instead of immediately transferring them to the winning relayer's custody, providing enhanced security to users. Relayers are responsible for providing the necessary funds to carry out the transaction on their own without having access to the user funds in escrow. When a relayer successfully executes an intent, they’re repaid from the liquidity pool holding the escrowed assets. To optimize 

, repayments to relayers are bundled and transferred in batches.

At the architectural level, Across is a modular system with three main layers — intent, relayer and settlement.

The intent layer is the component that handles user intents and their deposits at the origin chain. Then, the relayer hosts the network of relayer nodes and handles functions related to their activity — provision of capital to execute user intents, competitive bidding and the execution of intents.

The settlement layer is where the finalization of the transaction flow occurs, with relayers repaid in bundles and transactions settled on the destination chain. Verification of transactions uses an optimistic oracle that’s provided by the 

, a protocol specializing in blockchain oracle services.

Across Bridge is a cross-chain token bridge designed for efficient, low-cost and secure asset transfers. It provides an easy-to-use interface for users to move tokens seamlessly between different decentralized networks. To start using the bridge, you’ll need to connect a supported wallet. As of early February 2025, the bridge supports four popular wallet types — 

, Coinbase Wallet, Phantom and the group of wallets compatible with the WalletConnect framework. Currently supported networks for transfers include the Ethereum mainnet, 

 (POL) and zkSync Era. Transfers from the origin chain to the destination chain typically take only a few seconds to confirm.

Across+ is a bridge abstraction solution that utilizes cross-chain hooks to bundle multiple actions into one user transaction. In plain terms, it simply means that you can bridge assets to a protocol or DApp on the destination chain and carry out further actions (such as contributing liquidity) with a single transaction. For end users, this helps abstract the fact that the assets used for a crypto operation have been initially moved in from a different network. The cross-chain hooks let end-users carry out these transactions with a single instruction/signature, although under the hood, multiple actions are performed at the smart contract level.

Across+ boasts an extensive cross-chain reach. It currently supports 17 networks, including Ethereum and a wide range of Ethereum-linked Layer 2 chains.

Earlier, we noted that Across Protocol moved to a modular design with the launch of its V3 in early 2024. This shift to modularity has created opportunities for DApps and external protocols to use the platform’s settlement layer as a pluggable standalone product to provide efficient settlement for intent-based cross-chain transactions. Using Across Settlement, DApps can extend their functionality into intent-based liquidity operations, swaps and transfers. Across Settlement supports the same 17 decentralized networks that can be utilized with Across+.

In November 2022, Across Protocol launched its native token, ACX. The token is primarily used for 

, and holders can vote on various proposals related to the protocol's rules, future direction, treasury spending and native token emission. ACX holders exercise their governance function through membership in the Across DAO.

Holders of the token represent one component of the protocol’s governance model. The other two key parties involved are the Across Council and Committees, made up of specific subject matter experts. While all ACX token holders are entitled to vote on proposals, only those who hold at least 50,000 ACX (around $16,000) can submit proposals considered for voting.

ACX is a supply-capped asset, with a total and maximum supply of 1 billion. The token’s allocation shares are as follows:

 as a Perpetual contract with USDT. Under the terms of the contract, you can trade ACX with up to 50x leverage. The contract is available to traders in Bybit’s derivatives products, such as 

As of Feb 20, 2025, the ACX token is trading at $0.3257, which is 80.7% lower than its ATH of $1.69 on Dec 6, 2024, and 846.3% higher than its ATL of $0.03441 on Jun 1, 2023.

Long-term price forecasts for ACX are mostly bullish.DigitalCoinPrice 

 an average rate of $1.17 in 2027 and $1.78 in 2030, whileCoinCodex 

 the token to trade at around $0.34 in 2027 and rise to $1.12 in 2030.

The inefficient and often costly process of moving assets from one chain to another continues to hamper the adoption of DApps among crypto users. By enabling cross-chain intent-based functionality, Across Protocol seeks to provide DApps and their end users with a truly single-chain experience, where crypto operations across different networks can be handled from the same user interface.

Moreover, some of the protocol's key features — intent-based transaction execution, the competitive nature of the relayers' work and the batching of relayer repayments — contribute to lowering the costs of transfers and other crypto operations. Furthermore, the escrow system that the protocol employs protects users from malicious relayers, contributing to a stronger security profile for its platform. 

Minimal costs and tight security while carrying out your cross-chain crypto operations from a single DApp interface — these features aren't easy to come by all in one solution! 

Across (ACX): An Intents-Driven Solution for Cross-Chain Transfers

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards