"MSCI finalizes index rules" Oct 16, 2026

MSCI finalized index rules for the November Index Review, replacing interim limits on companies whose digital assets account for at least 50% of total assets. The new methodology assesses operating assets and five financial ratios. An existing index constituent will be removed only if it fails the tests in both of its two most recent annual filing periods, rather than on the basis of a single filing period.

A May simulation identified Strategy, MetaPlanet and Yellow Cake as potentially affected, and the rules could also reach Ethereum treasury firm SharpLink. Those names are not yet a final list of removals: MSCI said it will publish the affected-company list on November 11. The two-period test gives existing constituents a defined condition for removal, while the final outcome depends on how companies fare under the new screens.

A New York federal judge declined to undo Gemini’s settlement with the CFTC, which included a $5 million penalty that has already been paid and a permanent injunction. The CFTC said the case should not have been brought under its current enforcement priorities; Gemini argued it settled under coercive pressure. The judge said the settlement facts were known beforehand and that Gemini chose to settle shortly before trial after roughly three years of litigation.

Visa Direct moved USDC pre-funding with Inyo Global into commercial production. Eligible businesses can use it to fund cross-border payouts near real time, including outside traditional funding windows. The service follows a September 2025 USDC trial in which Visa said $750,000 in payment obligations were settled with Lloyds; funds arrived in under an hour, including over a weekend.

Google Quantum AI reported that magic state cultivation works on its Willow processor, with a 40-fold error reduction and 99.99% logical fidelity. Researchers cautioned that larger demonstrations are still needed. Nick Carter said there is no imminent quantum threat to crypto signatures, although progress is accelerating. Alex Prudin said the result does not change Q-Day timelines but makes existing estimates more credible.

Ledger unveiled its Android Atom device, which includes a secure transaction-review and signing mode and is planned to support Solana Mobile’s Seeker app. The Atom Founders Edition costs $849, with deliveries expected in summer 2027 pending certification; Ledger said it adds new tamper protections. Separately, Ledger said an implant in modified hardware sold through Southeast Asian reseller Crypto Billus could capture recovery phrases during setup. On-chain researchers linked the incident to more than $86 million in suspected losses, a figure Ledger has not confirmed.