Law and Order

Trump Downplays Knowledge of Binance Chief After Pardon Linked to Family’s Crypto Dealings

In brief The CBS segment was Trump’s first sit-down with 60 Minutes in five years, spanning the government shutdown, foreign policy, and crypto. Trump said he “didn’t know” CZ and had been “told” Zhao was wrongfully targeted by the Biden administration. O’Donnell pressed the president on Binance’s $2 billion transaction involving his family’s World Liberty…

Business

Mt. Gox Bitcoin Billions Are Being Repaid—How We Got Here

In brief Mt. Gox was the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange until it shut down in 2014 after discovering large-scale BTC thefts. Some 850,000 Bitcoin was stolen over the course of years due to a vulnerability in Bitcoin’s code. After Feds recovered 140,000 BTC in 2023, repayments to Mt. Gox users are finally underway… but the…

Markets

Circle Opens Arc Testnet With BlackRock, Visa, AWS Among Its Participants

In brief Circle launched the public testnet for Arc, its Layer-1 blockchain network, with participation from over 100 companies including BlackRock, Visa, Goldman Sachs, AWS, and major crypto exchanges like Coinbase and Kraken. The blockchain is designed as an “Economic Operating System” featuring dollar-based fees, sub-second transaction finality, and optional privacy for financial applications like…

Law and Order

China Maintains Scrutiny of Crypto While Asia Embraces Stablecoins

In brief China’s central bank will continue cracking down on domestic crypto operations while monitoring overseas stablecoin developments.   PBOC Governor Pan warned stablecoins “can’t meet the basic requirements like customer identification and anti-money laundering.”  Meanwhile, Japan rolled out JPYC, the first yen-backed stablecoin, and South Korea launched KRW1, its first regulated won-backed token. China will…

Law and Order

North Korea Has Stolen Billions in Crypto, But the Ability to ‘Fight Back Is Growing’: Chainalysis

In brief A report from the U.S. and other Western nations has found that North Korea is becoming more systematic and sophisticated in its crypto-hacking activities. Yet one contributor to the report, Chainalysis, indicates that Western agencies and firms are increasingly adapting to the growing threat. North Korea’s hacking activities have been supplemented in recent…

Business

Asian Stock Exchanges Slam Door on Bitcoin Treasury Companies

In brief Stock exchanges in Hong Kong and India have rejected companies attempting to pivot to Bitcoin treasury strategies, with none receiving regulatory approval in recent months. Experts have questioned if digital-asset treasuries are justified, warning they risk becoming “volatility arbitrage shells disguised as leveraged Bitcoin plays” that harm retail investors. Jetking Infotrain’s Siddarth Bharwani…