Crypto News
Solana Focused Wallet Drainers on the Rise, Security Platforms Warn
Blockchain security platforms Blockaid and CertiK this week spotlighted escalating threats targeting Solana ecosystems from sophisticated hacking kits dubbed "wallet drainers." These enable fraudsters to covertly drain wallets after deceiving victims into approving malicious transactions. Losses are already mounting into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Additionally, developers are urging vigilance as threats migrate from......
dYdX Identifies YFI Attacker in Pump And Dump Scheme
Leading decentralized exchange dYdX released a detailed post-mortem dissecting an elaborate market manipulation scheme involving token YFI's 200%+ pump and 30% "crash" last week. The exchange traced activities across 100+ wallets to identify the likely perpetrator and assist law enforcement investigations. Key Details: The attacker opened substantial 5x leveraged YFI longs across multiple accounts during......
ENS Token Skyrockets 50% as Vitalik Buterin Highlights Its Significance
A tweet from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin ignited a 50% price surge in the ENS governance token in the last few hours. Buterin called the Ethereum Name Service "super important" while advocating expanded layer-2 functionality to boost affordability and access. Key Details: Buterin said direct layer-2 ENS integration is needed for wider ecosystem adoption. His......
Goldman Sachs Eyes Authorized Partner Role for BlackRock and Grayscale Bitcoin ETFs
Goldman Sachs has emerged as a likely key participant in the long-awaited Bitcoin ETF from heavyweights BlackRock and Grayscale. The Wall Street titan is in discussions to become an authorized participant (AP), according to information shared with CoinDesk by sources familiar with the situation. Key Details: Goldman Sachs involvement would aid high-profile BTC ETF bids......
Bloomberg Bitcoin ETF Analyst Questions Matrixport SEC Rejection Report
Eric Balchunas, Senior ETF Analyst at Bloomberg, has questioned the recent report by Matrixport that predicts the rejection of Bitcoin ETF applications by the SEC in January. Balchunas took to X to express his skepticism, stirring a wave of discussions. Key Details: Matrixport speculated the SEC informed firms it would reject spot BTC ETF filings......
BTC, ETH, and Altcoins Plunge as Matrixport Says SEC Will Reject Bitcoin Spot ETFs
The SEC is widely expected to once again reject proposals for spot Bitcoin ETFs this month. This will dash hopes that 2024 will finally be the year the long-awaited product comes to market. According to a research report from Matrixport, the SEC is unlikely to approve any of the Bitcoin spot ETF applications in January.......
Radiant Capital Pauses Arbitrum Market After $4.5M Flash Loan Attack
Decentralized lender Radiant Capital became the latest DeFi protocol to fall victim to an exploit. The exploit resulted in a loss of 1,900 ETH worth approximately $4.5 million. The hack leveraged known issues in coding shared across major lending platforms. The attack came just six seconds after Radiant enabled a new stablecoin lending market. Security......
Crypto Voters Emerge as 2024 Election Wild Card: Report
A recent survey shows that crypto-related matters could influence the 2024 elections. People who own cryptocurrencies seem to have different preferences, even if they usually support a specific political party. The survey suggests that their party affiliation might not accurately predict how they will vote. Conducted in early December 2023 by research firms The Tarrance......
Crypto Wallet Founder Loses $125,000 stETH in Fake Airdrop Scam
Bill Lou, the co-founder of the crypto wallet startup called Nest, revealed in an emotional tweet that he fell victim to an airdrop impersonation scam. The phishing scam resulted in the loss of $125,000 worth of stETH. The fraud raises renewed questions about crypto's persistent scams and security gaps, even for industry insiders. Key details:......
Jim Cramer Says ‘You Can’t Kill’ Bitcoin as BTC Surpasses $45,000
Recently, Bitcoin has made a strong recovery, bouncing back and surpassing the $45,000 mark. Despite doubts from critics, this resilience has strengthened the case for supporters who believe that Bitcoin is a lasting technological and financial innovation. In an appearance recently on CNBC, Jim Cramer, the television personality and economic analyst, declared that "you can't......
DOJ Shelves Campaign Finance Charges Against SBF; Coinbase CLO Calls It a Mistake
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has opted not to pursue campaign finance charges against fallen crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). Paul Grewal, Chief Legal Officer at cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, sharply criticized the move in a X thread. Grewal called it a "mistake" and a "miscarriage of justice," depriving the public of important answers. This......
No Second Trial for FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Prosecutors Say
Federal prosecutors will not pursue a second criminal trial against Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, according to a letter filed in court Friday. A jury found Bankman-Fried guilty on seven counts related to fraud and money laundering in connection with the collapse of FTX and affiliated hedge fund Alameda Research. Prosecutors......
IRS Sees Surge in Crypto Tax Evasion Cases After Binance Probe
The IRS division that spearheaded the landmark Binance investigation disclosed that nearly half its cryptocurrency probes now center on crypto tax evasion cases rather than money laundering. Key Details: IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Jim Lee said crypto tax evasion cases jumped from 10% three years ago to around 50% of active digital asset probes. The......
OKX to Delist Privacy Coins Monero, Zcash and Dash in 2024
Major crypto exchange OKX announced it would delist several prominent privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, including Monero, Zcash, and Dash, in early 2024. According to the details from a recent announcement, the exchange is delisting these coins due to concerns over its listing criteria. Key Takeaways OKX will remove a total of 20 trading pairs involving the privacy......
Singapore Prime Minister Warns Against Crypto Deepfake Scams
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned residents on Friday not to engage with crypto deepfake videos circulating online. The deepfake video depicts him promoting cryptocurrency scams with guaranteed returns. Sophisticated AI technology is enabling fraudsters to create convincing bogus footage, Lee cautioned in his recent Facebook post. Key Details: Fraudsters are producing deepfake videos......
Hacker Pink Drainer Loots $4,400,000 Chainlink, LINK Price Reacts
A notorious crypto-hacking syndicate known as Pink Drainer was linked by investigators to a recent phishing scam that drained $4.4 million worth of Chainlink (LINK) tokens from a single victim. Key Details: Pink Drainer tricked the victim into approving a malicious transaction that transferred over 275,700 LINK. The stolen crypto was quickly sold for Ethereum......
Judge Rules LUNA and MIR As Securities, Says Terraform Violated Securities Laws
A federal judge ruled Thursday that Terraform Labs, the creator of the failed stablecoin TerraUSD and LUNA token, violated securities laws by selling tokens to public investors without registration. The judgment sets the stage for a fraud trial next month brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Key Takeaways Judge Jed Rakoff sided with......
Solana (SOL) Slumps; BNB Surges to Regain 4th Market Cap Rank
Solana (SOL) shed nearly 8% over the past 24 hours, extending this week’s pullback to over 22% from Monday’s 10-month high above $125. The slump came as a speculative rush cooled around Solana-based meme coins after massive rallies. Key Takeaways SOL retreated from $125 to near $100. Solana meme coins that pumped earlier this month,......
Binance Sees 30% User Growth in 2023 Amid Regulatory Struggle
Leading crypto exchange Binance has published its 2023 year-in-review report. It revealed considerable growth despite a tumultuous year for the digital asset industry and the exchange. Most notable was the addition of over 40 million new users, representing more than 30% growth year-over-year despite the exchange CEO stepping down and regulatory trouble. As per the......
India To Block Binance and 8 Exchange Websites; Intensifies Crypto Crackdown
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of India has cracked down on major global crypto exchanges operating in the country under its anti-money laundering laws. On Thursday, the agency under the Ministry of Finance announced it had issued compliance show cause notices to nine offshore crypto trading platforms. Key Takeaways Notices were sent to Binance, KuCoin,......
