The team behind Hunter Biden-linked memecoin LAPTOP said automated sniper bots and weak starting liquidity drove the token’s violent first-day move on Base, where it briefly traded above $300 before losing more than 99% of its value in about an hour, according to DexScreener data. In a Wednesday post, the project said the initial pool opened at $0.05 per token and quickly ran into demand that its market maker could not meet, leaving the launch vulnerable to bots targeting low-priced assets in newly created pools. The team said it will deploy 4 million tokens, equal to 0.4% of total supply, to incentivize liquidity on Aerodrome beginning at midnight UTC on Sept. 10. It also said two prediction-linked events had already resolved yes, leading to the burn of 10 million tokens and reducing circulating supply by 1% during the first week. Bubblemaps said about 80% of LAPTOP traders lost money, while many large holders appeared to be newly funded wallets with no prior onchain history. The team also defended the token’s positioning as an anti-TRUMP launch, pointing to the absence of a presale, no influencer allocations, a Hacken audit, a MiCA whitepaper filed with the Dutch AFM, and founder tokens locked in Coinbase Custody.

MicroBit Asset Management has listed the MicroBit Bitcoin and Gold Value ETF on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with counters at 3002.HK in Hong Kong dollars and 9002.HK in U.S. dollars. The firm described it as Hong Kong’s first ETF to offer exposure to both Bitcoin and gold in a single product, giving investors access to two value-focused asset classes through one listed vehicle. The fund also supports in-kind subscriptions and redemptions using Bitcoin for eligible market participants, allowing ETF units to be created and redeemed with BTC. MicroBit said the structure is designed to combine Bitcoin’s long-term virtual asset potential with gold’s role as a widely recognized store of value. Chief Executive Officer Fung King Ting said the launch reflects investor demand for inflation hedging and geopolitical risk diversification in a complex macro environment. The company also said it plans to continue exploring new investment products. MicroBit Asset Management, based in Hong Kong, said it is licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission for Type 1, Type 4, and Type 9 regulated activities, with additional conditions applicable to virtual asset fund managers.

The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, or MiCA, took full effect on July 1, triggering a broad compliance shift across the region’s crypto sector. After the rules came into force, more than 1,700 unlicensed crypto platforms were told to stop serving users and direct them toward licensed providers. At present, only 323 companies hold valid authorization. The transition affects roughly 10 million users who now need to move their assets. Regulators say scammers are exploiting that process by impersonating authorities and licensed exchanges, sending fake migration notices, and steering users toward fraudulent platforms. France’s financial markets regulator said fraudsters have posed as its staff and demanded money under the pretense of charging "management fees." The European Securities and Markets Authority has also confirmed that its identity and branding have been misused. Meanwhile, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets warned that migration from unlicensed exchanges has itself become an attack surface, urging users to verify providers through ESMA’s official register and remain cautious about unsolicited requests to transfer funds.

Webull EU has received MiCAR authorization from the Dutch regulator AFM, clearing it to offer crypto-asset services in the Netherlands. Webull will handle custody while Coinbase Luxembourg executes trades, with a Dutch launch targeted for late 2026.

ClearBank Europe completes MiCA notification, secures AFM confirmation as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider. The bank will offer EURC and USDC via Circle's Mint platform to EU clients, targeting faster cross-border payments.

Kalshi funds a new advocacy group, Americans for Fair Markets, with former deputy White House chief of staff Taylor Budowich as strategic advisor. The group aims to influence federal prediction market policy and counter pressure from casinos and state regulators.

Kalshi is backing Americans for Fair Markets and brought in former White House aide Taylor Budowich as strategic advisor, stepping up its policy push against sportsbook and casino opposition to prediction markets.

Major European banks and trading firms are pushing back on tougher off-exchange equity trading rules, arguing there is no clear evidence that lower exchange activity has damaged price formation.