CertiK joins XDC Network to secure trade finance and RWA tokenization

  • CertiK joins XDC Network as institutional masternode validator.
  • Partnership strengthens security, resilience and decentralization.
  • SkyNode infrastructure delivers 24/7 protection and monitoring.

CertiK has joined the XDC Network as an Institutional Masternode Validator, marking a new step in the network’s push to build trusted blockchain infrastructure for enterprise finance, trade finance, and real-world asset tokenization.

The New York-headquartered Web3 security services provider has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with XDC Network under which it will deploy and operate validator nodes on the blockchain.

The partnership will use CertiK’s enterprise node solution, CertiK SkyNode, to strengthen XDC Network’s security, resilience, and decentralization.

The move comes as digital assets and traditional finance continue to converge, with institutions increasingly looking for blockchain networks that can support secure settlement, asset tokenization, and operational resilience at scale.

CertiK to operate validator nodes on XDC Network

Under the agreement, CertiK will participate as an Institutional Masternode Validator on the XDC Network, an open-source, EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain built for payments, trade finance, and real-world assets.

XDC Network’s hybrid architecture combines public transparency with private subnetwork capabilities.

The network is designed to support institutional settlement and RWA tokenization, while offering high throughput, low fees, and enterprise-grade security.

By joining as a validator, CertiK will embed security controls into the infrastructure layer of the network.

The companies said this is aimed at reducing operational and network-related risks as enterprise blockchain adoption gathers pace.

“CertiK is one of the most recognized names in blockchain security, and having them validate our network is a meaningful signal to institutions,” said Atul Khekade, Co-founder, XDC Network.

This is not just a technical partnership. It is a statement about the standard of infrastructure we are building for enterprise finance. The institutions moving into trade finance and asset settlement are making long-term infrastructure decisions, and we want XDC Network to be the answer they keep coming back to.

Security focus targets institutional adoption

CertiK will use its SkyNode infrastructure to provide 24/7 proactive defences for XDC Network.

These include continuous vulnerability scanning, automated threat mitigation, and node-level penetration testing.

The infrastructure will also use a multi-region sentry node architecture with redundant failover protection.

According to the companies, this setup is designed to maintain consensus continuity and support high availability during periods of peak network congestion.

For institutions evaluating blockchain rails for trade finance and asset settlement, operational resilience remains a central requirement.

The collaboration is positioned around that need, with CertiK bringing its security and infrastructure expertise to XDC Network’s validator ecosystem.

“CertiK is honored to join the XDC Network as an Institutional Masternode Validator,” said Ronghui Gu, Co-Founder and CEO of CertiK.

Traditional trade finance and RWA tokenization require rigorous risk management, strong security foundations, and operational resilience. Through this collaboration, we are bringing our security and infrastructure expertise to help strengthen the network and support the trusted infrastructure needed for institutional adoption.

XDC expands validator ecosystem for enterprise finance

The partnership adds CertiK to a wider group of institutional validators already supporting XDC Network.

These include regulated financial institutions, global telecoms companies, and Web3 digital asset firms.

XDC Network’s existing institutional validators include Animoca Brands, BCW Group, Blueprint, Clearpool, Credora, Deutsche Telekom, HashKeyCloud, Hivemind Digital Group, InvestaX, IXS, RedStone, Republic Crypto, SBI Holdings, StakeFi, and UOB Venture Management.

The collaboration will focus on supporting trusted infrastructure for trade finance, asset tokenization, and institutional digital asset ecosystems.

Both organizations said they aim to support the secure adoption of blockchain technologies across these areas.

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KuCoin Pay expands crypto payments across Bangladesh, Mexico, Zambia

  • KuCoin Pay expands crypto payments to Bangladesh, Mexico, and Zambia.
  • Platform links stablecoins with local banks and mobile money rails.
  • KuCoin targets real-world crypto use in high-growth emerging markets.

KuCoin Pay, the cryptocurrency payment platform developed by KuCoin, has expanded its transfer-based payment capabilities across Bangladesh, Mexico, and Zambia.

The move aims to connect digital assets with widely used local payment systems in high-growth markets.

The rollout integrates cryptocurrencies and stablecoins with established banking and payment networks across the three markets.

These include the bKash and Nagad mobile payment platforms in Bangladesh, SPEI-compatible bank transfer routes in Mexico, and mobile money services offered by MTN Group and Airtel Africa in Zambia.

The expansion reflects the growing role of local bank transfers and mobile money services in emerging economies, where consumers increasingly rely on these systems for salary payments, remittances, merchant transactions, and peer-to-peer transfers.

Integration with local financial infrastructure

KuCoin Pay said its platform is designed to integrate digital assets with familiar financial systems, reducing the complexity often associated with moving cryptocurrencies into everyday financial activity.

The company noted that its technology supports localized payment routing through deep integration with local banking and payment rails.

Rather than requiring users to navigate complex backend processes, the platform identifies appropriate payment routes through a unified technical interface.

According to the company, this approach allows digital asset transactions to function more like traditional e-wallets, mobile money services, or local bank transfer tools.

By connecting cryptocurrencies and stablecoins with existing financial infrastructure, KuCoin Pay aims to make digital assets more practical for real-world use cases while reducing friction and simplifying the transfer process.

Focus on practical crypto applications

KuCoin executives said payments represent one of the most important pathways for digital assets to gain broader utility within the real economy.

“Crypto is emerging as a new asset class with growing relevance in the real economy, and payments are one of the most important ways for this value to reach users,” said Alicia Kao, Managing Director of KuCoin.

“Through KuCoin Pay, we are building trusted and localized connections between digital assets and existing banking, mobile money and transfer rails. By integrating crypto with the financial systems people already use, we are helping digital assets move beyond holding and trading into practical financial activity, while supporting more inclusive and future-ready financial ecosystems in high-growth markets.”

The company said the expansion is intended to improve accessibility to digital assets by enabling users to interact with cryptocurrencies through payment systems they already use in their daily lives.

Further expansion planned

Looking ahead, KuCoin Pay said it plans to continue expanding compatibility with local banking and payment systems in additional markets.

The company also intends to improve technical response speeds and broaden practical cryptocurrency payment applications across supported regions worldwide.

The latest expansion underscores a broader industry trend toward integrating digital assets with existing financial infrastructure, particularly in emerging markets where mobile money and local transfer networks play an increasingly central role in everyday commerce and financial inclusion.

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Hedera (HBAR) price compresses in tight range as breakout nears

  • Hedera (HBAR) price is currently consolidating in a tight range.
  • A falling wedge pattern is forming on the 15-minute chart.
  • A confirmed move above the wedge resistance zone near $0.0815 would signal a rebound.

Hedera (HBAR) has been trading in a narrow range, with price action showing repeated compression around key short-term levels.

At the time of writing, HBAR was trading at $0.0801, moving within a 24-hour range of $0.07801 to $0.0803.

The market has shown minimal directional strength today, with a 24-hour change of +0.1%, reflecting near-flat momentum.

While the token has seen a mild gain today, it continues to show weakness across longer timeframes.

HBAR is down 2.4% over the past 7 days, 6.7% over the past 30 days, and approximately 39.9% over the past year.

This extended decline places current price action in a longer consolidation phase rather than a sustained recovery trend.

Tight consolidation dominates short-term structure

Looking at the charts, the lower boundary around $0.0780 has acted as consistent support, while upside movement has been capped near $0.0803–$0.0810.

This compressed structure has resulted in a tightly controlled trading environment where volatility is declining.

Each minor rebound has been followed by rejection at nearby resistance, while dips continue to attract buyers at similar levels.

The result is a market that is neither trending upward nor breaking down decisively, but instead moving sideways in a constrained channel.

Falling wedge formation

On lower timeframes, particularly the 15-minute chart, HBAR is forming a clearly defined falling wedge pattern.

Hedera price chart

The pattern is characterised by two downward-sloping trendlines that converge as price action tightens.

The lower boundary of this wedge sits near $0.0780, a level that has been tested multiple times without a breakdown.

Each retest has produced short rebounds, indicating that selling pressure is gradually weakening at this zone.

The upper boundary of the wedge is positioned around $0.0805 to $0.0815, where repeated rejection has occurred.

The price is gradually compressing toward the apex of this structure, a phase often associated with directional expansion once a breakout occurs.

Hedera price forecast

The current technical framework places clear importance on two primary levels.

On the upside, a confirmed move above the wedge resistance zone near $0.0815 would represent the first sign of a bullish rebound.

If followed by sustained momentum, short-term projections indicate a move toward $0.0830, with extended targets around $0.0840 to $0.0850.

On the downside, a breakdown below $0.0780 would invalidate the current wedge structure.

Such a move would expose lower liquidity zones and extend the existing bearish consolidation phase.

However, at present, price remains positioned almost exactly between these two thresholds, reinforcing the compression narrative.

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Solana price reclaims $74, nearing a major breakout zone

  • Solana (SOL) is stuck between $72 support and $76 resistance.
  • Solana’s price action shows a tight range with possible short-term rejection risk.
  • $90 remains the key breakout level for a stronger bullish move.

Solana has moved back above the $74 level after a period of sideways trading, putting the asset close to a key technical zone that traders have been watching for several days.

The latest gains come after a gradual recovery from the lower $70 range, where price repeatedly found support before pushing higher.

Is this a correction within a larger bearish trend?

Recent price action shows Solana compressing inside a well-defined range between $62.08 and $76.00.

This range has become the main battleground for buyers and sellers, with repeated reactions near both ends.

On the lower side, support has been consistently observed around $69.50 and $62.08, where buying interest has prevented deeper declines.

On the upper side, resistance is clustered between $76.00 and $83.00, a zone that has rejected multiple upward attempts in recent sessions.

Solana price chart

Some short-term technical analysis, however, suggests that the current upward move may still be part of a broader corrective phase within a larger bearish structure.

Market analysis highlights the possibility of a short squeeze toward the $76 region, followed by a rejection if bulls fail to maintain momentum above resistance.

If price is rejected from this zone, downside pressure could return quickly, with initial support at $69.50, followed by the lower boundary near $62.08.

The $76–$90 range is now the key decision area

While short-term resistance sits near $76, higher timeframe analysis places a more important threshold at the $90 level.

This zone has been highlighted as a structural breakout point that could determine whether Solana transitions into a stronger upward trend or remains in consolidation.

A move above $90 could open room toward the $100 to $114 range, which has been identified as the next liquidity zone on higher timeframes.

However, failure to break this level would likely keep price action trapped in a broader corrective environment.

At the same time, one technical interpretation suggests that the current movement is still part of a countertrend rally within a wider bearish cycle in the crypto market.

Under this scenario, upward moves into resistance zones are viewed as temporary expansions designed to capture liquidity before potential reversals.

This conflict between breakout potential and bearish continuation has created a split in analyst expectations.

The $90 level now acts as the line between the continuation of the recovery and renewed consolidation.

Morgan Stanley’s Solana ETF adds a layer of optimism

Beyond technical levels, institutional developments are also shaping sentiment around Solana.

Morgan Stanley has reportedly advanced filings for proposed spot Solana and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs, with a proposed management fee of 0.14%, which would place them among the lowest-cost crypto ETF proposals currently under consideration.

The structure of these proposed products includes staking mechanisms, in which a large portion of staking rewards would be returned to investors after operational costs are covered.

Although these ETFs are not yet approved, the filings signal increasing institutional interest in structured Solana exposure through regulated financial instruments.

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Shiba Inu (SHIB) struggles near key support as burn rate and Shibarium activity weaken

  • Shiba Inu (SHIB) trades near $0.00000476 with weak short-term momentum.
  • Shiba Inu burn activity has dropped to about $5 worth of SHIB daily.
  • SHIB’s price remains below all major EMAs, maintaining a bearish trend.

Shiba Inu is trading at $0.00000476, holding a tight range between $0.000004638 and $0.000004789 over the past 24 hours.

The memecoin has remained under pressure in recent sessions, with a -0.4% daily change, extending a broader weakness that has seen it fall 17% over the past 30 days and nearly 59% over the past year.

Market activity, however, remains elevated, with 24-hour trading volume at roughly $54.7 million.

SHIB price structure tightens as support zone comes under pressure

Shiba Inu is testing a support region around $0.0000046, while a deeper support level sits at $0.00000430.

On the upside, resistance is forming near $0.0000048, with a further barrier at $0.00000491.

Notably, SHIB is trading below all major daily exponential moving averages (EMAs), including the 10-day, 20-day, 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs.

This alignment places the broader trend firmly in bearish territory, with no short-term average currently supporting price from below.

In addition, out of 23 tracked technical indicators, 13 are bearish, 9 neutral, and only 1 bullish, giving bears roughly 57% control of the signal distribution.

The RSI (14) sits around 35.47 on the daily chart, while the weekly reading is near 35.68, both pointing to nearly oversold conditions.

While this does not confirm a reversal, it does suggest the market is approaching levels where short-term reactions have historically occurred.

A close below $0.00000455 would expose SHIB to lower support levels, while a recovery above $0.0000048 would be required to shift short-term momentum toward $0.00000507.

Shiba Inu price chart

Burn activity and Shibarium engagement decline

Shiba Inu token burn activity has weakened significantly.

Data from the Shibburn website shows that daily burns have fallen to extremely low levels, with estimates indicating only around 1 million SHIB burned per day, valued at roughly $5.

Weekly burn totals remain similarly small, around 15 million SHIB, worth approximately $75.

At current levels, the burn activity has minimal effect on SHIB’s total supply dynamics.

The scale of the supply reduction is too small to influence price behaviour in the short or medium term, especially during periods of weak demand.

Shibarium activity has also shown limited market impact recently.

While the Layer-2 network continues to process transactions, there has been no measurable effect on SHIB price stability or upside momentum in recent trading sessions.

The lack of strong network-driven demand has left price action largely dependent on broader market sentiment and technical levels.

Exchange flows show accumulation, but price response remains weak

Exchange flow data presents a mixed picture.

CryptoQuant has stated that total SHIB exchange reserves have dropped below 80 trillion tokens.

Net outflows of approximately 266 billion SHIB in 24 hours have been recorded, suggesting that holders are moving tokens off exchanges, a behaviour often associated with accumulation or longer-term holding.

Despite this, the Shiba Inu price has not reacted strongly to the shift in flows.

SHIB continues to trade near the lower end of its recent range, indicating that buying pressure has not yet outweighed broader selling activity.

This divergence between on-chain accumulation and price response highlights a market that is still waiting for stronger confirmation from demand-side activity.

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