Need to know what happened in crypto today? Here is a breakdown of the latest developments shaping Bitcoin, blockchain, DeFi, Web3 and crypto regulation.
Today’s crypto news includes a major expansion from Raiffeisen and Bitpanda, a new warning from the US derivatives regulator over prediction markets, and fresh developments for Zcash investment products in Europe.
Raiffeisen Expands Crypto Trading With Bitpanda
Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) is expanding its presence in the cryptocurrency market through a broader partnership with Bitpanda.
The Austrian banking group plans to use Bitpanda Enterprise infrastructure to support digital asset services across its network in Central and Eastern Europe. The partnership could eventually provide crypto access to around 18 million customers.
However, the rollout will happen gradually. Each Raiffeisen network bank will decide which crypto services to introduce based on local demand, regulations and market conditions.
RBI CEO Michael Höllerer said demand for crypto assets continues to grow across the bank’s markets. As a result, the company is looking to meet that demand through its partnership with Bitpanda.
Bitpanda confirmed that the expansion remains in its early stages. More information is expected as individual markets and services are finalized.
CFTC Warns About Prediction Market “Mention” Contracts
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued a warning about certain prediction market contracts that may carry increased manipulation risks.
The advisory focuses on so-called “mention markets.” These contracts can settle based on whether an individual says a particular word, appears at an event or interacts with another person.
According to the CFTC’s Division of Market Oversight, these contracts can be more vulnerable to manipulation because the outcome may depend on the actions of a specific person rather than an independently generated event.
The regulator said there are limited circumstances in which such contracts can be listed consistently with existing rules. It also reminded regulated exchanges that their products must not be readily susceptible to manipulation.
The latest guidance comes as prediction markets continue to attract greater attention. Earlier CFTC enforcement cases have also highlighted concerns surrounding fraud and the misuse of nonpublic information in event-contract markets.
Zcash Investment Products Expand in Europe
Zcash is gaining more exposure in regulated investment markets after 21Shares launched a new European exchange-traded product linked to ZEC.
The 21Shares Zcash ETP, trading under the ticker ZCASH, launched on September 21. The product is physically backed by ZEC and allows investors to gain exposure to Zcash through a traditional investment account without directly buying or storing the cryptocurrency.
The product carries an annual fee of 2.5%.
At the same time, 21Shares introduced a physically backed ETP for ETHFI, the token connected to the decentralized finance protocol Ether.fi. That product also carries a 2.5% annual fee.
Zcash Gains More Institutional Exposure
The European launch follows another major development for Zcash in the United States.
Grayscale’s Zcash investment product, ZCSH, began trading on NYSE Arca on August 25, giving US brokerage investors access to spot ZEC exposure through an exchange-traded structure.
Interest in Zcash has also increased among cryptocurrency mining companies. Fortitude Mining produced 72,696 ZEC during the first half of 2026, representing about 28% of the network’s total ZEC production during that period.
Together, these developments show how Zcash is gaining a larger presence across both regulated investment products and institutional crypto infrastructure.
