Samira Okonkwo

Samira Okonkwo is up&down's market-structure and altcoin editor. She specializes in liquidity, listings, unlock calendars, and venue risk. Her beat asks who is selling into the cheer before a narrative becomes consensus.

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Crypto News

CFTC 26-23: prediction market incentives face real filings

CFTC Staff Letter 26-23 warns DCMs that prediction-market incentive filings are often deficient and can encourage wash-like volume chasing today.

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

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Crypto News

CFTC emergency order: Kalshi stays open amid NY suit

The CFTC used emergency authority on Aug. 11, 2026 to order KalshiEX to keep running after New York sued the prediction-market DCM for gambling.

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

Crypto News

Robinhood UK crypto: Bitstamp pipe, not free lunch

Robinhood is rolling UK crypto trading via Bitstamp UK Ltd with zero trading fees. Our read: watch FX costs and Bitstamp volume, not the brochure.

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

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Crypto News

OFAC hits Shelbit and Aban Tether for IRGC crypto rails

OFAC designated Shelbit and Aban Tether on Aug 7 for IRGC-linked crypto rails. Venue risk, secondary sanctions, and what desks should watch.

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

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Crypto News

Circle Q2: USDC float grows as reserve yield thins

Circle’s Q2 2026 print shows $701M revenue and reserve income with $73.3B USDC in circulation, while reserve yield compression capped income growth at 5%.

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

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Blockchain News

Circle Arc: BlackRock to Visa join founding validators

Circle named BlackRock, Visa, DTCC, Mastercard and peers as Arc founding validators ahead of a September 16, 2026 public mainnet, with BUIDL and DTCC tokenization still on the…

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

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Blockchain News

Wells Fargo tokenized deposits join the bank rails race

Wells Fargo will launch tokenized deposits this fall for select corporate USD-GBP flows, keeping commercial bank money on-chain as banks push back against stablecoin settlement rails.

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

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Blockchain News

Mastercard closes BVNK: stablecoin rails go institutional

Mastercard completed its acquisition of stablecoin infrastructure firm BVNK on Aug. 3, 2026. The desk's read: treat the close as a rails story, not a finished volume story,…

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

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Blockchain News

BlackRock BRSRV: tokenized cash for stablecoin reserves

BlackRock launched BRSRV and BSTBL OnChain Shares for stablecoin reserve managers under GENIUS. SEC prospectus details, Solana and Ethereum rails, and our falsifiable adoption claim.

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo

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Crypto News

Bitget exits Japan: venue risk before 2027 rules

Bitget is ending services for Japan residents on a staged calendar through Dec. 31, 2026. Our read: this is venue compliance under Japan’s new financial-instrument rules, not a…

2 months ago Samira Okonkwo