Everything web3, crypto, defi, degen
In brief Prometheum can custody a handful of tokens, but it’s now racing to support on-chain securities, founder and co-CEO Aaron Kaplan said. Kaplan testified on Capitol Hill in 2023 that the SEC had laid out a clear path to compliance for crypto firms. Some tokenized offerings resemble gambling, Kaplan argued. Tokenization could revolutionize finance,…
In brief Denver pastor Eli Regalado and his wife Kaitlyn face 40 felony charges for allegedly defrauding Christian investors of $3.4 million through the INDXcoin crypto between January 2022 and July 2023. The couple are accused of pocketing at least $1.3 million for personal expenses, including luxury vacations, cosmetic dentistry, and home renovations they claimed…
In brief A man has been indicted in an alleged cross-border fraud scheme. Authorities traced and seized $7.1 million in crypto, with assets moving through U.S. banks, offshore accounts, and at least 19 wallets. DOJ officials say blockchain tracing helped recover funds and identify connections to exchanges abroad. A Washington State man has been indicted…
In brief SEC staff greenlit Bitwise’s ETF on Tuesday, but it was immediately paused under a discretionary review rule. Grayscale’s GDLC faced the same setback earlier this month. It then responded with a legal warning. ETF Institute co-founder Nate Geraci called it a “bizarre situation” as procedural uncertainty clouds ETF conversions. The SEC halted another…
In brief The SEC appears increasingly likely to approve in-kind redemptions for Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, according to Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart. Five issuers with Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs on the CBOE filed amendments to their prospectuses, suggesting “positive movement” from regulators on approving in-kind redemptions for the funds. The SEC has delayed deadlines for…
In brief An Department of Justice investigation into Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell has been dropped, he said. Feds had raided Powell’s home back in 2023 and seized dozens of devices belonging to him. Powell said on X that the investigation never made sense to him. The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped an investigation into…
In brief Four people in London were convicted for kidnapping a Belgian barber after he boasted online about a crypto fortune he didn’t actually have. The gang ambushed him with weapons, but after discovering his wallet held only $9, they extorted $2,700 from his bank instead. The case highlights rising “wrench attacks,” where criminals physically…
In brief Roman Storm’s lawyers said Monday they may file a motion for a mistrial, due to alleged holes in the prosecution’s case against their client. The U.S. government has so far failed to prove that Tornado Cash was used in some of the cybercrimes recounted by their witnesses at trial, according to Storm’s lawyers.…
In brief Thailand’s SEC proposes easing knowledge test rules for retail crypto investors, allowing them to skip repeat tests if already passed, replacing the current 3-month retesting requirement. New rules would mandate suitability tests for all digital token investors, reviewed every two years, to ensure alignment between investor risk tolerance and product risk. The proposed…
In brief Three states have passed laws enabling Bitcoin reserves to date. Several efforts in other states have failed over concerns about volatility and public fund safety. Proposals are still pending in 17 more states as crypto advocates push for wider adoption. As random companies snap up Bitcoin and Donald Trump hails the creation of…
