Block Q4 Acquires 340 Bitcoins, Valued at Approximately $22 Million

**Ethereum Foundation Launches Project Odin to Bolster Sustainable Funding for Core Public Goods** On February 27, the Ethereum Foundation’s Funding Coordination Team announced the launch of Project Odin—a one-year structured support program designed to help core public goods teams build sustainable funding paths, boost ecosystem resilience, and cut long-term reliance on a single funding source. Vyper, the smart contract language, has become the first pilot project to join the initiative. Project Odin will help teams transition from grant dependency to a diversified funding portfolio (e.g., service contracts, SLAs, training) by pairing each team with a strategic advisor and guiding them through three phases: research, validation, and execution. The initiative’s long-term goal is to advance the FRCs model, which funds advanced technical research via a mix of grants and contracts to address the ecosystem’s engineering challenges while preserving the independence of long-term res

February 27: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that the Fraud Center Strike Special Task Force—launched in November 2025—has targeted a Southeast Asian fraud network, freezing and seizing over $580 million in crypto assets. Led by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the task force includes the FBI, Secret Service, Treasury Department, and other agencies. It focuses on combating transnational scam groups operating in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and neighboring regions. Prosecutor Jeanine Pirro noted the assets will be forfeited via legal proceedings and returned to victims where possible. The so-called “pig slaughter” scam typically uses social engineering to trick victims into purchasing crypto, then controls and transfers funds through fake investment platforms or apps. Interpol previously designated Southeast Asia’s fraud hubs as a global threat. In September 2025, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 19 ent

On February 27, OpenAI founder Sam Altman stated that demand for the company’s offerings continues to grow rapidly. He noted OpenAI will consider going public at the appropriate time, adding a partnership with Amazon could drive new demand and a significant revenue increase. Altman also expressed hope to build a long-term, deep cooperative relationship with Amazon. He does not believe the U.S. should threaten AI companies with data protection laws. (Source: Golden Ten)

On February 27th, U.S. stock markets opened lower: the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.75%, the S&P 500 fell 0.82%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 1.2%. Amazon (AMZN.O) edged down 0.44% — the e-commerce giant announced a partnership with OpenAI and invested $500 billion into the AI firm’s new $1.1 trillion funding round. Among crypto-related stocks, MicroStrategy (MSTR) slid 2.63%; Coinbase (COIN) dropped 3.12%, Circle Internet Financial (CRCL) fell 3.21%; Sports Betting & Gaming (SBET) declined 3.61%; and Bit Mining (BMNR) slipped 3.69%.

**Tariff Refund Update** The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) must respond by Friday, February 27, to a plaintiff motion seeking expedited refunds of "illegal tariffs" via the Court of International Trade (CIT), CNBC reports. Trade lawyers say over 2,000 businesses have filed tariff-refund claims with the CIT. Plaintiffs fear the government may try to delay the refund process. Last Friday, the Supreme Court ruled tariffs imposed by former President Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were illegal, giving federal courts roughly one month to determine next steps (MacroPolo).

**February 27 – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data shows January’s Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 0.5% month-over-month (MoM), beating market expectations of 0.3% and December 2024’s 0.4%. Year-over-year (YoY), PPI climbed 2.9%, topping the forecast 2.6%—signaling persistent upstream inflation pressure.** **Excluding food, energy, and trade services, core PPI rose 0.3% MoM (in line with expectations) but jumped to 3.4% YoY, exceeding the 3% consensus. Structurally: energy prices edged lower (wholesale gasoline fell 5.5% MoM and 15.7% YoY), while rising wholesale service prices and expanded retailer/wholesaler profit margins drove the gains.** **Earlier data showed January’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.4% YoY, near the Fed’s 2% target. But the stronger-than-expected PPI has amplified concerns over inflation stickiness, likely keeping the Fed cautious on its rate path.** **After the release, international spot gold prices pulled back slightly from highs before par