Ukrainian Police Bust International Crypto Fraud Ring, 14 Arrested

Ukrainian authorities have dismantled a criminal ring defrauding citizens across Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, and the European Union through deceptive call centers promising lucrative cryptocurrency investments. The National Police of Ukraine detained 14 suspects, including the alleged organizers, and seized 12 luxury cars, 136 units of computer equipment, 951 SIM cards, 455 starter packs, and significant … Read more

Thailand’s SEC Approves Bitcoin ETF Fund for Wealthy Investors

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand has granted approval to One Asset Management (ONEAM) to launch a fund that invests in spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The fund, named “One Bitcoin ETF Fund of Funds Unhedged Fund Not For Retail Investors (ONE-BTCETFOF-UI),” is accessible exclusively to institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals from May … Read more

FTX Reaches Settlement With IRS on $24 Billion Tax Claim

Crypto exchange FTX has reached a settlement with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), reducing its $24 billion claim to $200 million to be paid within 60 days after the company’s restructuring plan is approved. Additionally, the U.S. tax authority will receive a $685 million lower priority claim, payable only if funds are available after satisfying … Read more

Meme Stocks GME, AMC and Related Meme Coins Take a Hit as Roaring Kitty’s Influence Wanes

The Roaring Kitty craze appears to be dwindling at a swift pace, as evidenced by Gamestop’s stock, GME, which has dipped between 3-5% against the U.S. dollar during Tuesday’s mid-day trading sessions. Similarly, the meme stock AMC Entertainment Holdings, or AMC, has also experienced a decrease of approximately 1.87%. According to the cryptocurrency market cap … Read more

Deutsche Bank and Bitpanda Collaborate Amid Crypto Banking Challenges

Deutsche Bank is collaborating with Bitpanda to manage customer fiat deposits and withdrawals for the Austrian crypto broker. This collaboration addresses the challenges crypto platforms have faced in securing banking partners after the 2023 collapse of key crypto-friendly banks. Deutsche Bank will issue local bank account numbers to Bitpanda users in Germany, facilitating fiat currency … Read more

BIS Plans Instant Cross-Border Payments Using Wholesale CBDC Settlement

In a move to improve traditional cross-border payments, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has announced the launch of Project Rialto. This project aims to enhance instant cross-border payments by integrating a modular foreign exchange (FX) component with settlement in wholesale central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The initiative, a collaboration between the BIS Innovation Hub … Read more

ERC-6900 Website Launches, Co-Authored by Ethereum Foundation, Alchemy, Circle and Quantstamp

The official resource for ERC-6900, www.erc6900.io, has been launched, co-authored by the Ethereum Foundation, Alchemy, Circle, and Quantstamp. The website is a comprehensive guide to ERC-6900, a groundbreaking proposal that standardizes interfaces for composable smart accounts. The core idea behind ERC-6900 is to foster permissionless innovation by making it easier for developers to build secure, … Read more

Bitfarms Sees 42% Revenue Drop in May Post-Bitcoin Halving

Bitfarms, a Bitcoin mining firm, reported a 42% drop in crypto mining revenue in May, the first full month following the Bitcoin halving in mid-April, which reduced their Bitcoin production from 263 BTC in April to 156 BTC in May. The company attributed part of the decline in production to “unusually cold temperatures” at its … Read more

Woman Pleads Guilty to Using Bitcoin for Dark Web Hitman

In Salt Lake City, Krista Renae Stone, 23, pleaded guilty to using the dark web to arrange a murder-for-hire in 2023. According to court documents, Stone utilized bitcoin to pay $5,000 for the hit. Between March and September 2023, she accessed a website offering “hitman for hire” services, providing detailed information about the intended victim, … Read more

Dubai Financial Services Authority Updates Regulatory Framework for Crypto Tokens

The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) announced amendments to its crypto token regime on Monday, enhancing the regulatory environment for crypto tokens in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a special economic zone. The amendments address investment in recognized and unrecognized crypto tokens, custody and staking of crypto tokens, compliance with financial crime regulations including … Read more