Everything web3, crypto, defi, degen
In brief Samurai Wallet founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill face sentencing this week after pleading guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitter. Prosecutors allege the defendants actively solicited criminals on dark web forums, with Rodriguez describing their service as “money laundering for bitcoin” in private messages. The government identified at least $237 million…
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…
In brief Police filed roughly 800 new charges tied to drug trafficking, firearms and conspiracy offenses. Crypto seizures tied to the probe total about $37.9 million to date, according to prior AFP estimates. Operation Ironside stemmed from an FBI-built encrypted platform that fed messages to law enforcement from 2018 to 2021. South Australia Police made…
In brief Europol said misuse of crypto is “becoming increasingly sophisticated,” straining national police resources. Experts have called for global standards and unbiased blockchain training to strengthen cross-border investigations. A recent conference highlighted the need for cooperation between public and private sectors as crypto crime evolves. The head of Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime…
In brief Romania’s gambling regulator blacklisted Polymarket in the country. The regulator said it meets the definition of counterparty betting as users put up a stake, and a future event determines the outcome. Of particular concern was expanding volumes on Romanian elections, which have stretched into the millions of dollars. Leading prediction market Polymarket was…
In brief A federal appeals court affirmed the Fed’s ability to deny crypto bank Custodia a master account. Custodia had argued the Fed had no choice but to award a master account to eligible banks. The Fed said it could deny Custodia an account based on the risk posed by crypto activity. Custodia said it…
In brief The European Central Bank is looking to pilot its digital euro in mid-2027 ahead of a Europe-wide roll out in 2029. It comes after the European Council told the ECB and other participants to “accelerate” the development of the CBDC, to release it as soon as possible. Crypto enthusiasts remain wary of CBDCs,…
In brief California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) fined Coinhub $675,000 for violating digital assets law. Of that total, $105,000 is due as restitution to consumers who were overcharged by the ATM operator. This marks the fourth enforcement action from the regulator as it cracks down on crypto ATM operators that it says…
In brief Palantir Technologies has sued two former senior AI engineers for allegedly stealing confidential documents. The defendants allegedly sent themselves highly confidential files, including healthcare revenue cycle diagrams and internal demonstration frameworks. General Catalyst CEO Hemant Taneja has publicly admitted earlier that the venture capital firm was creating “a version” of Palantir’s business. Palantir…
In brief The New York court issued a provisional order under Section 1519 directing Circle to maintain the freeze on three Ethereum wallets. A related class action by U.S. investors seeking the same funds has been paused pending the Chapter 15 review. The case will determine whether Singapore’s liquidation of Multichain qualifies for formal recognition…
