Standard Chartered Bank Warns BTC May Dip to $50K Before Bouncing Back, Lowers Year-End Target to $100K

On February 12, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said during an AMA session: “I think people just tally up assets and funds and slap on the ‘richest person’ label. But what matters more to me is contributing to society and the world—that’s what actually makes me feel good. I don’t do this for other people—I do it for ‘selfish’ reasons. Doing things that have a positive impact on the world makes me feel good. Humans are wired genetically to want to help each other, to leave the world a little better than we found it, right? That’s why we want to make a positive contribution. When you do this, you get a really strong internal reward that makes you happy. That’s why I do it. Especially after going through what I did over the past two years, I now value the simple joys in life. I feel really lucky right now—I have enough resources to do impactful things, enough skills, a solid team, the funds to make things happen, and the time to put into it too. I’m not exactly young anymo

On February 12, Japanese digital financial platform PayPay filed for a U.S. initial public offering (IPO). Prior to that, PayPay had acquired a 40% stake in Binance Japan.

**Polymarket Launches NYC’s First Free Grocery Store Amid Kalshi User Acquisition Push** On February 12, prediction market platform Polymarket announced the official opening of *The Polymarket*—New York City’s first free grocery store—at 137 South 7th Avenue in Manhattan. Built by New Yorkers, for New Yorkers, the store offers all items free of charge (no purchase required) and is open to all city residents. Polymarket is also donating an additional $1 million to local food banks. The launch follows intensified user acquisition competition between Polymarket and rival Kalshi, which has rolled out free grocery promotions in New York. On February 3, Kalshi hosted an event at WestSide Market in downtown Manhattan, giving away $50 in free groceries to attendees. Long lines formed at the event, with many participants noting the offer equaled several hours of wages and was highly appealing. Kalshi co-founder Tarek Mansour said the initiative aimed to give back to the community while ex

On February 12, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said during an AMA session: “I’d tell builders in this space to just ignore the market—whether it’s up or down. Over the long haul, the market will grow; Bitcoin, major cryptocurrencies, and even most mainstream public chains today will perform well, I believe. As a builder, don’t sweat the daily price swings. Focus on building apps people actually use—because folks don’t pick an app based on your token’s price; they care about what it does: a wallet, trading tools, a stablecoin for payments, tokenized assets, or any other long-term useful application. One key point: if you’ve issued a token, keep up consistent product updates. That way your token holders get a clear picture of your progress and roadmap—so they can better weigh the risks and opportunities of holding your token. Also, communicate with your community often.”

On February 12, Binance founder CZ shared insights during an AMA, highlighting these key points: This bear market differs sharply from past cycles—he can’t confirm if the four-year cycle will hold. For the first time, the U.S. is strongly backing crypto: the new administration is supportive, and ongoing bill approvals are a positive sign. He expects other countries to follow if U.S. support continues. Stablecoins and real-world assets (RWAs) are growing rapidly. Recent community noise and widespread FUD are weighing on market sentiment. With so many moving parts, no one can clearly predict how each factor impacts the market—so he advises everyone to assess risks carefully when trading. He noted seeing both positive and negative forces now. Long-term, the industry will be fine—but he can’t forecast short-term moves (tomorrow, next month, or even this year). CZ added he’s being “honest but vague”: saying a lot without definitive answers, as the picture isn’t clear to him.

On February 12, Coinbase will list Espresso (ESP) perpetual contracts for trading. The ESP-PERP market will launch if liquidity conditions are met and the trading area is already enabled for trading.