MSCI Considers Tightening Index Rules That Could Remove Strategy and Metaplanet; Aztec Relaunches zk.money; Base Completes Cobalt Upgrade and Plans 200ms Block Times

Core summary: As of October 1, 2026, public reports show that MSCI plans to remove Strategy and Metaplanet from its indexes on the grounds that they are "non-operating companies." JPMorgan analysts estimate that if implemented, Strategy could face about $2.8 billion in passive outflows. Aztec Labs relaunched the privacy wallet zk.money on September 29, 2026, with a per-transaction cap of $2,500 and a shared daily deposit cap of $50,000. Base completed its Cobalt upgrade on September 30, 2026, and plans to cut block time from 2 seconds to 200 milliseconds over the coming months. For exchange beginner guides, see 2026 Exchange App Beginner Tutorial: Registration, KYC, Deposits, and Your First Trade - Complete Steps.

Background and Key Disputes of the MSCI Index Rule Changes

Why does the Bitcoin Policy Institute question the rule-making process?

According to Cointelegraph on October 1, 2026, the Bitcoin Policy Institute has questioned the rule-making process behind MSCI's plan to remove Strategy and Metaplanet from indexes as "non-operating companies." The report did not disclose the specific demands of the challenge or MSCI's response. The matter remains at the "proposed" stage, and whether it will ultimately be implemented awaits official confirmation from MSCI.

How is the definition of "non-operating company" reflected in index rules?

Public reports so far have not provided MSCI's complete definition of "non-operating company," nor disclosed the specific reasons Strategy and Metaplanet would fall into that category. Strategy and Metaplanet are both listed companies closely tied to crypto assets, but business classification should be based on official documents. For updates on Strategy's Bitcoin purchases, see the site's Stablecoin Payment Credibility Dispute and Strategy Bitcoin Purchase Updates.

JPMorgan's $2.8 Billion Outflow Estimate: Logic and Scope of Impact

What assumptions is the estimate based on?

According to Cointelegraph on October 1, 2026, JPMorgan analysts estimate that if Strategy is removed from MSCI indexes, it could face about $2.8 billion in outflows. That estimate is an analyst view, not actual fund flows that have already occurred. Common analytical assumptions include passive funds selling the relevant holdings on the removal effective date, but the report did not disclose more detailed assumptions.

Through which channels could the removal affect related assets after implementation?

If the removal is ultimately implemented, outflows would likely come mainly from passive funds tracking MSCI-related indexes. Whether active funds and other investors follow by selling depends on their fundamental views and capital constraints. The final impact also depends on the removal timing, the weight allocation of replacement constituents, and the specific details of the index rules.

Aztec zk.money Relaunches: Features and Limits

How do readable labels like bob.zk.money enable stablecoin payments?

According to Decrypt on September 29, 2026, Aztec Labs relaunched the self-custodial privacy wallet zk.money, allowing users to make stablecoin payments through readable labels like bob.zk.money. Readable labels help reduce the chance of address entry errors. Self-custody means users must manage their own keys; lost keys may mean funds cannot be recovered.

What transaction and deposit limits apply at launch?

The same report also disclosed that in its early launch phase, zk.money has a per-transaction cap of $2,500, and all users share a daily deposit cap of $50,000. Vitalik Buterin said dedicated applications can achieve "very strong privacy" through zero-knowledge proofs, and sees this as part of his "crypto world computer" vision.

Base Cobalt Upgrade and 200ms Block Time Plan

What changes are included in the Cobalt upgrade?

According to Cointelegraph on September 30, 2026, Base has completed the Cobalt upgrade and plans to cut block time from 2 seconds to 200 milliseconds over the coming months, while adopting some technical changes from Ethereum's Glamsterdam upgrade. The report did not list the full feature set of the Cobalt upgrade. For developers, shorter block times raise throughput expectations but may also place higher demands on sequencers, state management, and security infrastructure.

How will moving from 2 seconds to 200 milliseconds change the user and developer experience?

A 200-millisecond block time generally means faster transaction confirmation feedback, which may be more helpful for high-frequency interactions, on-chain games, or payment applications. However, the plan is still in the planning stage, with no specific implementation timeline, and actual performance must be verified after Base mainnet launch.

Action Watchlist: How to Track These Events

• First build a list of official sources and reports: save the official announcement pages of MSCI, Aztec Labs, and Base, as well as the media report links cited in this article, as tracking entry points.
• Set up keyword monitoring: create search alerts or content monitoring around "MSCI Strategy Metaplanet," "zk.money limits," and "Base Cobalt 200ms."
• Cross-check key figures: for the $2.8 billion outflow estimate and the $2,500 per-transaction cap, find at least two independent sources to verify and record the verification date.
• Record timelines and assess impact: put key milestones such as "proposed change - confirmation - implementation" into a table, and assess whether adjustments are needed based on your own holdings or usage habits.

Risk warning: Crypto/digital asset prices are highly volatile, and information and rules may change at any time. This article does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice. Before making decisions, refer to the latest official announcements and actual product pages.