Good Morning Crypto Enthusiasts!

Glad to have you back for another edition of the UseTheBitcoin.com newsletter.

1. Binance Reserves Hold Steady: Binance pushed back against “FTX 2.0” rumors as on-chain data shows its Bitcoin reserves steady at ~659,000 BTC. Analysts see no signs of liquidity stress despite recent market volatility.

2. Prediction Markets Go Grocery: Polymarket and Kalshi are battling for users with grocery giveaways in New York City. Kalshi handed out $50 credits, while Polymarket teased NYC’s first free grocery store.

3. Crypto.com Spins Out OG: Crypto.com launched OG, a standalone prediction market app, after activity surged 40x in six months. Built on a CFTC-registered exchange, OG is currently US-only.

4. 💡Feature of the Day - Tether Denies $20B Raise: Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino denied reports of a $20B fundraising plan, calling them speculative. He defended Tether’s $500B valuation by pointing to $10B in 2025 profits.

   
   All this and more in today’s headlines!

📰 News Highlights:

Binance Reserves Stable [Source][Source][Source]

Binance is showing no signs of financial stress despite renewed online claims comparing it to “FTX 2.0.” Onchain data from CryptoQuant shows Binance’s Bitcoin reserves remain steady at around 659,000 BTC, largely unchanged since the end of 2025.

This comes amid market volatility that briefly pushed Bitcoin below $74,000, yet analysts say there are no red flags suggesting liquidity issues or abnormal outflows.

A wave of social media posts claiming users were deleting Binance accounts raised eyebrows, but many accounts appeared coordinated or inauthentic. Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao criticized the behavior while welcoming constructive feedback.

Still, not all criticism is dismissed, as some industry leaders blamed Binance’s leverage-heavy promotions for an October 2025 liquidation event. Binance has denied those claims, reiterating its focus on transparency and long-term trust.

Prediction Markets Grocery War [Source][Source]

Prediction market platforms Polymarket and Kalshi are turning to grocery giveaways as competition heats up in the booming sector.

Kalshi handed out $50 grocery credits to thousands in Manhattan, while Polymarket announced plans to open New York’s first free grocery store. The promotions come as prediction market volumes exceed $400 million per day, nearly four times higher than last year.

Polymarket also pledged $1 million to Food Bank for NYC and said its grocery store concept had been in development for months. Both platforms are aggressively expanding brand visibility through media partnerships, billboards, and viral campaigns.

Crypto.com Spins Out OG [Source][Source][Source]

Crypto.com has launched a standalone prediction market app called OG, spinning it out from its main platform following explosive growth. The app is powered by Crypto.com Derivatives North America, a CFTC-registered exchange, and is currently available only in the United States. The move places Crypto.com in direct competition with Polymarket, Kalshi, and Coinbase’s newly launched prediction offerings.

Executives say the decision was driven by 40x weekly growth in prediction market activity over six months. Industry data backs the timing, with prediction markets growing from under $100 million monthly in early 2024 to over $13 billion by the end of 2025.

As Wall Street and crypto platforms converge on event-based trading, OG enters a crowded but rapidly expanding market.

💡 Feature of the Day: 

Tether Denies Fundraise [Source][Source]

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has denied reports that the company planned a $20 billion capital raise, calling the figure a misunderstanding fueled by speculation. Ardoino clarified that earlier discussions referenced hypothetical scenarios rather than an actual fundraising target. Despite this, Tether continues to stand by a $500 billion valuation, which has drawn scrutiny from some observers.

Ardoino defended the valuation by comparing Tether’s profitability to major AI firms, noting that Tether generates billions in profit without needing external funding.

The company reported $10 billion in profit for 2025 and continues expanding its product lineup, including gold-backed stablecoins and the newly launched USAt for the US market. Tether says its financial independence allows it to grow selectively and on its own terms.

😂 Crypto Meme of the Day: 

Meme of the day provided by @cryptomemebot

And that’s it for this today.

See you all tomorrow’s edition!

Jonathan Gibson
UseTheBitcoin.com