PANews reported on August 13th that CoinDesk has announced the launch of Central Asia's first spot Bitcoin ETF, BETF, on the Astana International Exchange (AIX). Custodianed by BitGo, the ETF supports physical Bitcoin holdings and offers investors up to $250 million in insurance coverage. BETF is denominated in US dollars and allows for physical settlement, aiming to reduce tracking error and fees. Regulated by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the product is open to Central Asian and international investors, eliminating the need to manage private keys or use cryptocurrency exchanges.


Crypto venture funding was weak in November, with only a few major raises driving totals, as overall deal activity reached one of its lowest points this year. Venture capital funding in the cryptocurrency sector remained muted in November, continuing a broader slowdown that has persisted through late 2025. Deal activity was once again concentrated in a small number of large raises by established companies.As Cointelegraph previously reported, the third quarter saw a similar pattern: total funding climbed to $4.65 billion, according to Galaxy Digital, but deal counts lagged as capital flowed primarily to bigger, more mature firms.November reflected the same divergence. Figures from RootData showed only 57 disclosed crypto funding rounds during the month — one of the weakest tallies of the year — despite headline-grabbing raises such as Revolut’s $1 billion round and Kraken’s $800 million raise ahead of its anticipated initial public offering.Read more
