Polygon taps Cypher Capital to Introduce POL to Middle East Institutions
Polygon Labs has partnered with Dubai-based Cypher Capital to promote POL to institutional investors across the Middle East, Cryptopolitan reported. The program will include roundtables, exclusive events and bespoke investment solutions designed to meet compliance and risk-management needs.
Polygon executives said the network’s performance metrics, including sub-five-second finality and capacity for high throughput, support institutional use cases. Cypher Capital will help structure access for funds, corporates and asset managers while advising on local legal and regulatory requirements.
Polygon presented the initiative as part of a broader push to expand liquidity and yield opportunities for POL inside regulated portfolios. The partnership signals a strategic focus on the Gulf region, where appetite for tokenized yield products and professional-grade infrastructure is rising.
Bitcoin Dips But ‘Uptober’ Narrative Remains Intact
Despite a short-term dip, Bitcoin's 'Uptober' narrative, as reported by The Block, remains resilient. The pullback did not erase the month’s underlying momentum, which observers attributed to renewed investor interest and ongoing inflows tied to institutional products.
Traders cited technical levels that limited downside and pointed to catalysts that could restore upside bias. The coverage framed the decline as a normal market correction within a constructive monthly trend.
The Block’s coverage emphasized that market participants will watch liquidity and macro signals to judge whether October’s gains can hold into the latter part of the month, providing reassurance about Bitcoin's performance.
DOJE Memecoin ETF Expected to Launch Mid Next Week
The launch of the first U.S. memecoin ETF, DOJE, as reported by Cryptopolitan, is a significant development that is expected to intrigue many investors. The product will provide regulated ETF exposure to a memecoin-themed asset, aiming to bring a familiar investment wrapper to a retail-oriented token.
The article said issuers completed regulatory clearing steps and prepared listings with market makers for orderly debut. Observers in the report underlined that execution and initial flows will be closely watched, given memecoins’ historical volatility.
The launch represents an attempt to bridge retail crypto appetite with mainstream investment structures while testing how such thematic exposures behave under ETF mechanics.
Cardano Launches Hydra 1.0.0 to Accelerate Transactions
The Crypto Basic reported that Cardano, a blockchain platform, has released Hydra 1.0.0, its layer-two scaling solution designed to deliver faster transaction finality and higher throughput.
The rollout introduces node-level heads that enable parallel processing and reduced settlement times, aiming to support low-latency payments and high-frequency on-chain activity. The article noted Hydra’s design focuses on offloading transactions from the base layer while preserving Cardano’s security and settlement guarantees. Engineers involved in the project described the release as a milestone toward large-scale transaction processing and more cost-effective on-chain operations. The update positions Cardano to better serve payments rails and applications that require rapid confirmations.
Ripple’s Middle East Expansion Could Route XRP and rLUSD into Regional Flows
CryptoSlate reported that Ripple’s growing operations in the Middle East, including a new alliance in Bahrain, could route XRP and its stablecoin rLUSD into regional payment and remittance corridors.
The coverage said Ripple’s partnerships aim to tap cross-border payment demand and local liquidity pools, enabling on- and off-ramps for institutional and fintech clients. The report highlighted potential use cases in remittances and treasury liquidity management where tokenized rails can shorten settlement times and reduce conversion steps.
CryptoSlate framed the move as part of Ripple’s broader strategy to build corridors that place XRP and rLUSD into operational payment flows across the Gulf and North Africa.
Hedge Funds and Crypto lure Gulf Heirs Set to Inherit $1 trillion
Bloomberg reported that wealth passing to Gulf heirs could reach roughly $1 trillion, a dynamic hedge funds and crypto firms are actively courting. According to Bloomberg, managers are positioning strategies and private offerings to capture allocations from the next generation of Gulf family wealth.
The piece described outreach that includes bespoke crypto and digital-asset proposals alongside traditional alternatives. The coverage noted that fund managers see the Gulf’s intergenerational wealth transfer as a large and growing capital pool, prompting deeper engagement from both established and specialist firms.
Bloomberg framed the trend as a structural funding opportunity for managers that can meet provenance, compliance and reporting expectations demanded by Gulf investors.
Bybit Secures Regulatory Approval in the UAE
Bybit has received regulatory approval to operate in the United Arab Emirates, Cointelegraph reported. The approval enables the exchange to expand its licensed services within the jurisdiction, aligning with the UAE’s efforts to attract digital-asset infrastructure.
Cointelegraph’s coverage said Bybit will operate under the regulatory framework established by local authorities, which includes requirements for compliance, custody, and consumer protections. The move follows a wave of licensing activity by global exchanges seeking footholds in Gulf financial centers.
Bybit’s authorization is positioned as part of a broader industry adaptation to jurisdictional oversight and formal market access in the region.
Japan’s Prime Minister signals Plan to Refine Blockchain Rules to Boost Crypto Economy
Cointelegraph reported that Japan’s prime minister pledged to refine blockchain regulations to strengthen the domestic crypto economy. The announcement described targeted regulatory adjustments intended to encourage innovation while maintaining investor safeguards.
The report quoted officials saying the government will consult industry and regulators on measures to streamline token registration, improve custody rules and expand infrastructure support. The story framed the initiative as a response to both domestic enterprise interest and the global push to harmonize standards.
Cointelegraph noted that Japan’s policy shift aims to balance market growth with tighter oversight of market integrity and consumer protections.
SoftBank’s PayPay acquires 40 percent stake in Binance Japan
Cointelegraph reported that PayPay, SoftBank’s payments arm, has acquired a 40 percent stake in Binance Japan. The transaction ties a major Japanese fintech to one of the world’s largest exchanges and is positioned to deepen local market integration.
Cointelegraph said the deal allows Binance Japan to leverage PayPay’s domestic payments network and regulatory relationships while offering product synergies across trading and consumer rails.
The coverage noted that the investment reflects a broader pattern of local strategic partners taking significant positions in exchanges to navigate regulatory and market-entry requirements.
UK lifts ban on crypto exchange-traded notes
The United Kingdom has lifted its prohibition on crypto exchange-traded notes, Cointelegraph reported. The reversal opens the door for trading of ETNs tied to digital assets under updated market rules and follows consultation with regulators and market participants.
Cointelegraph said the decision is expected to broaden investment options for institutional and retail investors by allowing standardized, exchange-listed paper products that reference crypto performance.
The report highlighted that firms offering ETNs will need to meet disclosure and market-making standards designed to protect investors and preserve orderly trading.