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Sebastian Sinclair

Sebastian Sinclair

Sebastian was Decrypt's Asia Editor and a seasoned journalist who brought extensive expertise in reporting on the crypto markets. His background includes roles as a reporter and markets analyst at CoinDesk and later Blockworks, where he contributed to breaking news coverage across the Asia timezone. Disclosure: Sebastian has no significant crypto holdings.

Stories by Sebastian Sinclair

  • Bitcoin and the U.S. Dollar. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    What Rising US Bond Yields Mean for Bitcoin

    Bitcoin is trading near $68,000, holding a relatively narrow range even as a sharp rise in U.S. Treasury yields signals growing pressure across global markets. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note climbed to around 4.42% on Thursday, up roughly 46 basis points since late February, data shows. “The current pace of the surge in the US 10Y Note Yield, and US Treasury Yields more broadly, is in line with what we saw in April 2025, during Liberation Day,” The Kobeissi Letter analyst...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks. Image: White House/Decrypt

    David Sacks Leaves White House Crypto Role With Key Legislation Still Unresolved

    David Sacks is stepping down from his role as the White House’s AI and crypto czar, closing out a short tenure that helped reshape the U.S. government’s approach to digital assets but left several major legislative efforts unfinished. In an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday, Sacks said that his time as a special government employee had ended after reaching the 130-day limit.  He will remain involved in the administration as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Techn...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Judge's gavel. Source: Decrypt/Shutterstock

    Crypto Case Over Money Transmitter Laws Dismissed by US Judge

    A U.S. federal court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a crypto software developer seeking a preemptive ruling that his non-custodial crypto donation platform would not violate federal money transmission laws, leaving a key legal question unresolved for the industry. In an opinion issued Wednesday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted the government’s motion to dismiss the case. It found that the developer, Michael Lewellen, had not demonstrated a credible threat...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Reserve Bank of Australia building in Sydney. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Australia Lays Groundwork for Tokenized Asset Markets After RBA Project

    Australia’s central bank is moving toward building the legal and market infrastructure needed for tokenized asset markets, as regulators begin coordinating on rules that could allow the products to trade at scale within the financial system. In a speech on Tuesday, Reserve Bank of Australia Assistant Governor Brad Jones said the question was no longer whether tokenization had a future in Australia’s financial system, but how it would be implemented, following the conclusion of the bank’s Projec...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Flag of USA and Delaware state. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Delaware Moves to Establish State Framework for Stablecoin Issuers

    Delaware lawmakers have introduced legislation that would establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for payment stablecoin issuers, as states position themselves to compete for digital asset firms under federal rules. Known as the Delaware Payment Stablecoins Act and introduced on Tuesday, Senate Bill 19 would create licensing, reserve, custody, and disclosure requirements for companies issuing stablecoins to residents of the state. If passed, the measure would further Delaware’s longstand...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Iranian rial and Bitcoin. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Bitcoin Price Slides but Holds Up Better Than Stocks as Oil Shock Continues

    Bitcoin has fallen over the past week, but its declines have been less severe than the broader equity drawdown since the Iran conflict began on February 28. The world’s largest crypto traded around $68,000 on Sunday, down roughly 2% over the past 24 hours and about 6% over the past seven days, according to CoinGecko data.  The move comes as the Iran war entered its fourth week, pushing crude prices higher and contributing to a broader pullback in risk assets by Friday.  That geopolitical backd...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Bitcoin logo. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Bitcoin Trails Money Supply Growth as Energy Costs and Rates Bite

    Bitcoin is trading at a steep discount to global liquidity trends, according to new analysis from CF Benchmarks, even as macro headwinds tied to energy prices and monetary policy complicate the outlook for risk assets and economic growth. Global M2 money supply has risen about 12% since mid-2025, while Bitcoin has fallen roughly 35% over the same period, the Kraken-owned index provider said.  One model cited in its report, published Thursday, implies a “fair value” of about $136,000, compared w...

    NewsMarkets
    4 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Gemini. Source: Decrypt/Shutterstock

    Gemini Shares Rise After Hours as Investors Back Shift Beyond Crypto Trading

    Gemini shares climbed in after-hours trading on Thursday after the crypto exchange business reported a shift toward more stable revenue streams and outlined an expansion into prediction markets, even as trading activity declined. The stock rose about 7% to $6.45 in late trading after closing at $6.01, as investors appeared to focus on its improving revenue mix and cost-cutting efforts rather than weaker volumes. The company reported fourth-quarter trading volume of $11.5 billion, down 30% from...

    NewsBusiness
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Bitcoin is the leading cryptocurrency by market cap. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Why Bitcoin Is Falling Despite $1.1 Billion in ETF Inflows

    Bitcoin continues to struggle to maintain a foothold at elevated prices even as institutional investors continue pouring money into the asset, hinting at a growing disconnect between short-term macro pressures and longer-term demand. U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $1.16 billion in inflows over seven consecutive sessions through Tuesday. Wednesday saw its first daily outflow of around $129 million, according to CoinGlass data, as prices declined about 4% following a shift in inte...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Democrats Press Meta Over Facial Recognition Plans for Smart Glasses

    A group of Democratic senators is pressing Meta over reported plans to add facial recognition to its smart glasses, citing mounting concerns that the technology could enable real-time identification of individuals without their consent. In a letter to Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) warned the feature could expose the public to “serious risks of stalking, harassment, and targeted intimidation,” particularly...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Bitcoin is the largest crypto asset by market cap. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Bitcoin Pushes Higher as Macro Tests Loom

    Bitcoin traded above $75,000 late Monday, holding gains ahead of a closely packed set of macroeconomic releases that investors expect to shape the near-term outlook for risk assets. The world’s largest crypto is up about 3.5% over 24 hours to $75,300, according to CoinGecko data, pushing through a resistance band between $74,000 and $76,000 that analysts had flagged as a near-term ceiling. It's now at its highest level in over a month, as traders attempt to reprice risk amid uncertainty in the...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Parliament house in Canberra of ACT, Australia. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Australia Senate Panel Backs Crypto Framework in Latest Regulatory Push

    An Australian Senate committee has handed down its report on the government’s proposed digital-asset regulatory framework, backing legislation that would bring crypto platforms and custody services under the country’s financial-services regime. The Senate Economics Legislation Committee said the bill represents a step toward modernizing oversight of digital assets, an industry lawmakers say is expanding rapidly but remains unevenly regulated. The move builds on earlier steps by Australian regul...

    NewsLaw and Order
    2 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Kalshi prediction market data displayed in New York City. Image: Decrypt/Shutterstock

    Traders Flip Senate Control Bet as Democrats Overtake Republicans on Kalshi, Polymarket

    Prediction markets have shifted to favor Democrats to control the U.S. Senate after the 2026 midterm election, marking the first time the party has taken the lead in the race’s history on platforms tracking the outcome. Contracts on prediction platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, show Democrats with a roughly 51% chance of winning Senate control, compared with 49% for Republicans, as of late Sunday.  On Myriad Markets, owned by Decrypt’s parent company Dastan, traders are pricing the cha...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Bitcoin is the leading crypto asset by market cap. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Bitcoin Advances as Oil Jumps Toward $100 on Further Middle East Strikes

    Bitcoin rose over the weekend as escalating tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices sharply higher, prompting investors to assess the potential spillover into global markets. The world’s largest crypto traded at about $72,950 on Sunday, up roughly 2.5% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko data.  The move came after a volatile weekend that saw Bitcoin briefly dip toward $70,500 before rebounding as traders digested the latest geopolitical developments.  With oil markets now focu...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Iranian rial and Bitcoin. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Why Bitcoin's Price Is at a Weekly High Despite Middle East Tensions

    Bitcoin is trading at its highest level in a week as tensions in the Middle East continue to weigh on equities, while oil prices are driving higher amid concerns of a prolonged conflict. The world's largest crypto is up 2.6% to $71,500, a level not seen since March 6, and has clawed back some of the losses since the U.S.-Israel conflict against Iran began on February 28, CoinGecko data shows. Volatility tied to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping corridor that handles roughly...

    NewsMarkets
    4 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Aave is a decentralized lending protocol. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Crypto Trader Loses Nearly $50M in Aave Trade, Protocol Offers $600K Fee Refund

    A crypto trader lost almost the entire value of a $50 million transaction on Thursday after executing a large swap for Aave’s governance token through the decentralized finance protocol’s trading interface. The user attempted to buy AAVE with $50 million worth of the stablecoin USDT through the Aave interface, according to a statement posted on X by Aave founder Stani Kulechov.  Because the order was unusually large relative to available liquidity, the interface issued a warning flagging “extra...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • BONK. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Hackers Hijack Bonk.fun Domain, Deploy Wallet-Draining Phishing Prompt

    Hackers hijacked the domain of the Solana-based token launch platform Bonk.fun on Wednesday, prompting the team to warn users not to interact with the site after attackers deployed a wallet-draining phishing message. An operator associated with Bonk.fun, known as Tom, said in a post on X that a team account had been compromised, allowing attackers to push a malicious prompt through the bonk.fun domain.  The prompt reportedly asked users to sign a fake terms-of-service message designed to author...

    NewsTechnology
    2 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Hyperliquid. Image: Decrypt/Hyperliquid

    Crypto Traders Turn to Hyperliquid for Oil Bets Amid Iran Volatility

    Crypto traders are increasingly using the DeFi derivatives platform Hyperliquid to speculate on oil prices, in the latest sign that always-on crypto markets are beginning to absorb trading tied to global macro shocks. Oil-linked perpetual futures on Hyperliquid processed roughly $991 million in trading volume over the past 24 hours, according to data shared Wednesday on X by James Wang, director of product marketing at Cerebras Systems. Comparable contracts recorded about $75,000 in volume on C...

    NewsCoins
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Bitcoin logo. Source: Decrypt

    Bitcoin Shows ‘Tentative Signs of Improvement’ as Iran Conflict Fears Wane

    Bitcoin’s market structure is showing early signs of stabilizing after weeks of pressure, according to a new market note from on-chain analytics firm Glassnode, even as the escalating conflict involving Iran continued to roil global financial markets. Bitcoin is up 4.3% on the day to around $69,100 and holding relatively steady after recent volatility tied to geopolitical tensions and surging oil prices sent digital assets lower last week. In its weekly market pulse published Monday, Glassnode...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
  • Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Post-Quantum Shift Could Force Crypto Exchanges to Rethink Wallet Security

    A widely used method that crypto exchanges rely on to generate deposit addresses while keeping private keys offline could break if blockchains migrate to post-quantum cryptography, according to new research. Exchanges such as Coinbase and Binance currently rely on hierarchical deterministic wallets, a system standardized under Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 32, or BIP32.  The design allows operators to generate fresh deposit addresses from a public key stored on a server while the private signing...

    NewsTechnology
    3 min read
    Sebastian Sinclair
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