[Avalanche Foundation Establishes DLT Entity in Abu Dhabi to Support Web3 Development in MENA] The Avalanche Foundation has announced the establishment of a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) foundation in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to support the adoption of Web3 applications, corporate collaborations, and ecosystem development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The Avalanche DLT Foundation will serve as a primary regional foundation, supporting relevant projects, government initiatives, and developer outreach activities under a clear and credible regulatory framework. This entity will also integrate existing initiatives in the MENA region, forming a unified structure to enhance transparency and operational efficiency.

[Wyoming Crypto Bank Custodia Bank Submits Petition for En Banc Review to Appeals Court] Wyoming crypto bank Custodia Bank has submitted a petition for en banc review, requesting that all judges of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reconsider its October ruling that supported the Federal Reserve's decision to deny the bank's application to open a master account. The petition states that the original panel misinterpreted the Monetary Control Act's provisions granting eligible banks the right to open master accounts, undermined state banking regulatory authority, and raised significant constitutional issues.

[Sberbank of Russia Tests DeFi Products and Explores Integration with Public Blockchains like Ethereum Due to Customer Demand] Sberbank of Russia has announced that, in response to increasing customer interest in trading and holding cryptocurrencies, the bank is testing a range of DeFi products. Anatoly Popov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, stated that the bank is working with regulators to develop digital asset products and emphasized that traditional banking and DeFi are moving toward integration. Sberbank is also conducting projects involving asset tokenization or connecting with DeFi platforms using public blockchains like Ethereum.

[MetaMask Launches Native Bitcoin Support] The crypto wallet application MetaMask has launched native Bitcoin support, allowing users to directly purchase Bitcoin with fiat currency, perform on-chain transfers, and exchange with EVM assets. MetaMask currently supports the native SegWit derivation path, with Taproot support coming soon.

[Startale and SBI Plan to Launch a Regulated Yen Stablecoin in 2026] Japanese blockchain infrastructure company Startale Group and financial group SBI Holdings plan to launch a fully regulated yen-pegged stablecoin by the second quarter of 2026, aiming to support global settlements and institutional use cases. The two parties will collaborate under a new agreement, with Startale responsible for technical development and SBI focusing on compliance, regulation, and issuance promotion. Shinsei Trust & Banking will handle issuance and redemption management, while licensed crypto exchange SBI VC Trade will oversee circulation.