Crypto News
FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried Should Face 40–50 Years In Prison: Prosecutors
In a sentencing memo filed on Friday, federal prosecutors recommended that Sam Bankman-Fried be sentenced to a minimum of 40 years and a maximum of 50 years in prison. The Department of Justice's Southern District of New York office argued that the severe sanction is necessary due to the gravity of Bankman-Fried's crimes. These include......
Crypto.com Slapped with $3.1 Million Fine by Dutch Central Bank
The Dutch central bank, De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), has announced that it has imposed a substantial fine of 2.85 million euros ($3.12 million) on Foris DAX MT Limited (DAX MT). It is the company behind the well-known cryptocurrency exchange, Crypto.com. The penalty was issued last October. It stems from the platform's failure to register with......
U.S. Treasury Investigates $165M in Potential Crypto Transactions Linked to Hamas
The U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has reported that financial institutions have flagged $165 million in potential cryptocurrency transactions that may be connected to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. According to the WSJ, in a letter that he signed, Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo disclosed the findings. The findings were based on......
Binance Reveals Extensive Cooperation with Nigerian Authorities Amid Turmoil
In a blog post on March 13, leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance shed light on its substantial cooperation with Nigerian authorities. This is in response to the recent turmoil surrounding its operations in the country. The exchange's disclosure comes amidst allegations of currency manipulation and calls for a ban on crypto exchanges by the Nigerian government.......
Ethereum Completes Dencun Upgrade: ETH Drops Below $4,000
Ethereum, the world's second-largest blockchain network, has successfully implemented a significant software upgrade aimed at reducing costs for users of its ecosystem. The Dencun upgrade is expected to have a profound impact on the end-user experience and drive the development of new applications and free services. Key highlights: Dencun upgrade to lower expenses for Layer......
Crypto Mixing Service Bitcoin Fog Founder Convicted of $400M Money Laundering
A Washington federal court jury has found Roman Sterlingov, 35, the founder of crypto mixing service Bitcoin Fog, guilty of money laundering. Key Points: Roman Sterlingov was found guilty of helping to launder tens of millions of dollars from darknet markets. Govt claims Bitcoin Fog processed $400 million in transactions. Sterlingov faces up to 20......
EU Parliament Approves Stricter Rules to Combat Sanctions Including Crypto
The EU Parliament has taken a significant step towards cracking down on sanctions violations with new legislation. These include those facilitated through cryptocurrencies by the approval of a new set of rules on Tuesday. The move comes in response to growing concerns over the circumvention of EU financial sanctions on Russia following its invasion of......
VanEck Drops Bitcoin ETF Fees to Zero Until 2025
VanEck has announced that it will temporarily waive the fee for its spot Bitcoin ETF, HODL, until March 31, 2025. The decision, announced via X, comes as VanEck's fund trails behind its competitors in terms of assets under management (AUM). Key points: VanEck temporarily drops the fee to zero for its spot Bitcoin ETF, HODL.......
MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor Predicts Bitcoin to “Eat Gold”
MicroStrategy executive chairman Michael Saylor boldly predicted Bitcoin dethroning gold as a store of value asset during a CNBC interview Monday. His comments came on the heels of the firm disclosing purchases of about 12,000 additional Bitcoin. Key details: Sees Bitcoin's ease of transport and other technical advantages boost its appeal compared to traditional gold.......
Tether Expands USDT to Celo Platform; CELO Surges 40%
Leading stablecoin operator Tether announced a collaboration with smart contract platform Celo. The collaboration will bring USDT to the network’s fast, inexpensive blockchain framework. Key details: USDT to benefit from average Celo fees of around $0.001 per transaction. Celo’s 1,000+ project ecosystem spans 150+ countries focused on real-world use. Integration to enable gas payments via......
MicroStrategy Buys 12,000 Bitcoin For $821 Million As BTC Hits $72,000
Business intelligence firm MicroStrategy has capitalized on its latest convertible debt offering to accumulate roughly 12,000 additional Bitcoin worth over $821 million. The purchase expands the company’s existing BTC portfolio to approximately 205,000 BTC bought for $6.91 billion. Key details: Funded the Bitcoin shopping spree with $781 million raised through a debt offering closed on......
Coinbase Report Urges Caution on Emerging Crypto AI Sector
A new report from Coinbase suggests the recent hype and growth around cryptocurrencies related to artificial intelligence may ultimately prove unsustainable long-term without additional progress. The analysis strikes a note of current market enthusiasm, pushing many AI tokens notably higher. Key details: It comes amidst notable gains for tokens tied to AI sector advancements, massively......
U.S. Still Seeks Do Kwon Extradition Despite Montenegro Court Ruling
American prosecutors vowed Thursday to continue efforts towards extraditing embattled cryptocurrency entrepreneur Do Kwon. This comes even as a Montenegro court cleared the way for his likely return to his native South Korea instead. Key details: Do Kwon founded the failed crypto project Terraform Labs and its Terra ecosystem. The TerraUSD implosion wiped out $40......
Fed Chair Powell Says CBDC Is Nowhere Close to Reality
In testimony before the Senate Banking Committee Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell firmly rejected notions that adoption of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by the U.S. is imminent. Powell also mentioned that it is not even actively under consideration at this point. His remarks come amidst a growing conservative political backlash against a......
Terra’s Do Kwon to be Extradited to South Korea
Do Kwon, the embattled co-founder of the failed crypto project Terraform Labs, will likely be extradited to South Korea. This is following the completion of a four-month sentence in Montenegro for falsified document charges. The revelation is according to the statement of Kwon’s attorney after a Montenegro high court ruling on Thursday. Key details: Kwon......
Nigeria Seeks to Block Criminals From Capital Markets Via New Crypto Rules
Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is moving to update its guidelines around cryptocurrencies to prevent criminals from participating in capital markets, according to local reports this week. The push comes amidst ongoing turbulence in Nigeria’s crypto sector regulation and signals intent to exert stronger control. Key details: SEC seeking more oversight of crypto companies......
Bitcoin Fever Grips South Korea As “Kimchi Premium” Soars
A key indicator of retail investor enthusiasm for Bitcoin in South Korea has climbed to heights not seen in over two years this week. The “Kimchi Premium,” referring to the gap between Bitcoin prices on South Korean crypto exchanges compared to global exchanges, rose to 10.32% on March 1st, according to data firm CryptoQuant. This......
Spain Orders Worldcoin to Halt Data Collection and Processing
Spain's data protection regulator, the Spanish Agency for Data Protection (AEPD), has issued an order requiring Worldcoin to cease collecting and processing personal information within the country. According to the Financial Times, the regulator has given the Sam Altman-backed cryptocurrency project a 72-hour window to abide by its requirements. Additionally, the AEPD's decision mandates that......
Arizona Senate Considers Proposal to Include Bitcoin ETFs in Retirement Funds
The Arizona State Senate is currently reviewing a Bitcoin ETF proposal related to the investment portfolios of the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS). The proposal suggests that these retirement systems evaluate the potential inclusion of Bitcoin ETFs in their investment strategies. The bill, which passed the Senate's......
Binance.US Suffered Massive Layoffs and Revenue Loss Following SEC Lawsuit
A recent court deposition has shed light on the impact of the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) lawsuit against crypto exchange Binance.US in June 2023. Christopher Blodgett, a Binance.US executive, testified that the company experienced a 75% loss in revenue and was forced to lay off 200 employees, which is two-thirds of its workforce. Key......
