Crypto’s $10B Power Play: M&A Mania Hits the Mainstream

The post Taiko Makes Chainlink Data Streams Its Official Oracle appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Key Notes Taiko has officially integrated Chainlink Data Streams for its Layer 2 network. The integration provides developers with high-speed market data to build advanced DeFi applications. The move aims to improve security and attract institutional adoption by using Chainlink’s established infrastructure. Taiko, an Ethereum-based ETH $4 514 24h volatility: 0.4% Market cap: $545.57 B Vol. 24h: $28.23 B Layer 2 rollup, has announced the integration of Chainlink LINK $23.26 24h volatility: 1.7% Market cap: $15.75 B Vol. 24h: $787.15 M Data Streams. The development comes as the underlying Ethereum network continues to see significant on-chain activity, including large sales from ETH whales. The partnership establishes Chainlink as the official oracle infrastructure for the network. It is designed to provide developers on the Taiko platform with reliable and high-speed market data, essential for building a wide range of decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, from complex derivatives platforms to more niche projects involving unique token governance models. According to the project’s official announcement on Sept. 17, the integration enables the creation of more advanced on-chain products that require high-quality, tamper-proof data to function securely. Taiko operates as a “based rollup,” which means it leverages Ethereum validators for transaction sequencing for strong decentralization. Boosting DeFi and Institutional Interest Oracles are fundamental services in the blockchain industry. They act as secure bridges that feed external, off-chain information to on-chain smart contracts. DeFi protocols, in particular, rely on oracles for accurate, real-time price feeds. Taiko leadership stated that using Chainlink’s infrastructure aligns with its goals. The team hopes the partnership will help attract institutional crypto investment and support the development of real-world applications, a goal that aligns with Chainlink’s broader mission to bring global data on-chain. Integrating real-world economic information is part of a broader industry trend. Just last week, Chainlink partnered with the Sei…

The post Kalshi Prediction Markets Are Pulling In $1 Billion Monthly as State Regulators Loom appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. In brief Kalshi reached $1 billion in monthly volume and now dominates 62% of the global prediction market industry, surpassing Polymarket’s 37% share. Four states including Massachusetts have filed lawsuits claiming Kalshi operates as an unlicensed sportsbook, with Massachusetts seeking to permanently bar the platform. Kalshi operates under federal CFTC regulation as a designated contract market, arguing this preempts state gambling laws that require separate licensing. Prediction market Kalshi just topped $1 billion in monthly volume as state regulators nip at its heels with lawsuits alleging that it’s an unregistered sports betting platform. “Despite being limited to only American customers, Kalshi has now risen to dominate the global prediction market industry,” the company said in a press release. “New data scraped from publicly available activity metrics details this rise.” The publicly available data appears on a Dune Analytics dashboard that’s been tracking prediction market notional volume. The data show that Kalshi now accounts for roughly 62% of global prediction market volume, Polymarket for 37%, and the rest split between Limitless and Myriad, the prediction market owned by Decrypt parent company Dastan. Trading volume on Kalshi skyrocketed in August, not coincidentally at the start of the NFL season and as the prediction market pushes further into sports.  But regulators in Maryland, Nevada, and New Jersey have all issued cease-and-desist orders, arguing Kalshi’s event contracts amount to unlicensed sports betting. Each case has spilled into federal court, with judges issuing preliminary rulings but no final decisions yet. Last week, Massachusetts went further, filing a lawsuit that calls Kalshi’s sports contracts “illegal and unsafe sports wagering.” The 43-page Massachusetts lawsuit seeks to stop the company from allowing state residents on its platform—much the way Coinbase has had to do with its staking offerings in parts of the United States. Massachusetts Attorney General…

UPDATE RULES. Former Commission on Audit commissioner Heidi Mendoza speaks during a public forum.