CZ Says SBF Asked for Billions 'Like a Bologna Sandwich' As FTX Collapsed
In his memoir "Freedom of Money," Binance founder Changpeng Zhao reveals he signed a non‑binding Letter of Intent to acquire FTX in November 2022 merely as a formality, never intending to buy the exchange. Zhao recounts Sam Bankman‑Fried asking for "a couple of billion dollars" as casually as ordering a bologna sandwich. He blames Caroline Ellison’s public $22 floor price for FTT as the fatal mistake that spurred massive short‑selling and a rapid token collapse. Zhao also discloses a Signal group of major exchanges that later attracted DOJ and SEC attention.
Bitcoin Vaults Past $72,000 as U.S. Stock Futures Surge on a Two‑week U.S.–Iran Ceasefire
Bitcoin surged past $72,700, climbing about 5% in 24 hours as U.S. stock futures rallied following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a two‑week cease‑fire with Iran. The cease‑fire eased geopolitical tensions, sending West Texas Intermediate crude down more than 10%...
DeFi Lending's Risk-Reward Ratio Sparks Debate Between Researchers and Curators
A new DeFi research paper by Luca Prosperi argues that Morpho’s USDC vaults underpay depositors by 5‑10×, using a Black‑Cox model that equates deposits to selling a put on ETH collateral. The model suggests a fair credit spread of 250‑400...
The Gulf’s Digital Transformation
The United Arab Emirates is positioning itself as the Gulf’s premier hub for digital assets, with regulators such as VARA, ADGM and the Securities and Commodities Authority creating a clear, activity‑based framework for tokenized securities, real estate and even oil‑backed...
Sky Protocol Proposes Two Structural Upgrades to Strengthen Capital Protection Framework: Sky Governance
Sky Governance announced on April 7, 2026 two structural upgrades aimed at bolstering Sky Protocol’s capital protection framework. The first introduces a stronger solvency buffer to absorb market shocks, while the second adopts a more sustainable staking rewards model that...
Ontario Court Holds Advisor Liable After False Crypto Promise Costs Client
An Ontario Superior Court ruled that senior financial advisor Michael Santonato is personally liable for a client’s lost cryptocurrency investment. The court awarded Bushra Heland $152,086.41 after finding Santonato fraudulently promised stop‑loss protection that could not be implemented. The judgment...
Binance Bets on Prediction Markets to Launch US Reentry
Binance.US is re‑entering the U.S. market under new CEO Stephen Gregory, a compliance veteran from firms like Currency.com, Gemini and CEX.io. After the SEC dismissed its case and the DOJ settled criminal charges—including a $4.3 billion penalty—the exchange is rebuilding with...
Stablecoin Issuers Get Closer to U.S. Federal Rules with FDIC's New Proposal
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) has formally proposed its first stablecoin‑issuer rule under the GENIUS Act, aligning closely with the OCC’s earlier framework. The proposal, which includes 144 regulatory questions, opens a 60‑day public comment period and sets capital,...
AAVE Slides Below $90 as Contributor Departures Weigh on DeFi's Largest Lender
The AAVE token slipped to around $88, erasing roughly 75% of its value since the August 2025 peak of $356. A protracted governance dispute has driven three major contributors—Chaos Labs, BGD Labs and the Aave Chan Initiative—to abandon the protocol....
Morgan Stanley's Bitcoin ETF Set to Launch on April 8: Bloomberg
Morgan Stanley is set to launch its spot Bitcoin ETF, MSBT, on April 8, 2026 via NYSE Arca. The fund will carry a 0.14% annual expense ratio, making it the cheapest U.S. Bitcoin ETF and undercutting Grayscale’s 0.15% and BlackRock’s...
What Will Happen to USDC Now Polymarket Is Launching Its Own Stablecoin?
Polymarket is launching its own dollar‑denominated token, Polymarket USD, which will replace the bridged USDC.e on Polygon. The new token is fully backed 1:1 by Circle’s native USDC, so the underlying reserve asset remains unchanged. This wrapper swap does not...
Trump-Linked World Liberty Faces Scrutiny over Ties to Sanctioned Network: The Times
World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture co‑founded by former President Donald Trump, is under renewed scrutiny after its partnership with Southeast Asian blockchain firm AB DAO, which had promoted a resort tied to Cambodia’s Prince Group—a network sanctioned by the...
Hackers Pose as Non-Profit Developers to Deploy Monero Mining Malware
Since late 2023, the REF1695 hacker group has been embedding Monero‑mining malware in counterfeit software installers that masquerade as non‑profit projects. The scheme uses a fake ISO download, a persuasive ReadMe.txt, and instructions to bypass Windows SmartScreen, delivering a toolkit...
Bitcoin Holds $67K Support as Data Exposes Price to Sentiment Divergence
Bitcoin has held a $67,000 support level, keeping prices above the $60,000 floor despite a month‑long “extreme fear” reading on the Fear & Greed Index. Institutional investors drove the market, with spot ETFs absorbing roughly 50,000 BTC (≈ $3.35 billion) and corporate...
Examine XBCI for Elevated Bitcoin Income Profile
The NEOS Boosted Bitcoin High Income ETF (XBCI) launched with a 30‑day SEC yield of 2.52%, targeting income‑seeking investors while retaining upside exposure to Bitcoin. The fund employs active management and tax‑loss harvesting to enhance after‑tax returns from spot Bitcoin...
Fintech Founder Slams Coinbase Tax Document Process
Fintech veteran Mike Cagney publicly criticized Coinbase’s tax‑document process, citing a erroneous 1099‑MISC that reported $1,600 of income on a $10 portfolio. He described the support experience as a “nightmare” that ended with generic advice to consult a tax advisor....
‘Don’t Waste Time with Crypto': Here Is What Solana Foundation's Cryptic Message Really Means
The Solana Foundation unveiled a San Francisco billboard that reads “Don’t waste time with crypto,” signaling its push to make crypto invisible infrastructure for AI agents. It promotes the new x402 micropayment standard, which already supports more than 15 million AI‑driven transactions....
Binance Introduces Spot Price Guardrails in Post-Crash Overhaul
Binance will introduce a Spot Price Range Execution Rule (PRER) that automatically cancels taker orders falling outside dynamically calculated price corridors. The protection, similar to stock‑exchange circuit breakers, goes live on April 14 with a phased rollout across all spot trading...
Phantom Cryptocurrency Wallet Grapples with Brief Operational Disruption Affecting Asset Displays
On April 7, 2026 Phantom, a leading non‑custodial crypto wallet, experienced a brief technical interruption that displayed inaccurate token prices and balance totals on its desktop interface. The glitch was confined to the visual and data‑presentation layer, while the underlying blockchain data...
Solana Rolls Out Tools to Fend Off Blockchain Security Threats
The Solana Foundation announced two new security initiatives—STRIDE and the Solana Incident Response Network (SIRN)—to protect its rapidly expanding DeFi ecosystem. Led by Asymmetric Research and funded by Solana, STRIDE will independently audit projects and publish results, while SIRN creates...
US Prosecutors Reject Tornado Cash Co-Founder‘s Argument for Dismissal
Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, rejected Roman Storm’s attempt to use a recent Supreme Court copyright ruling as a defense in his criminal case. Storm, co‑founder of Tornado Cash, was previously convicted of operating...
Jupiter Launches Token Verification API for Launchpads, Agents
Jupiter, the leading Solana DEX aggregator, launched the Express Verification API (VRFD) to let launchpads, DEXs, and AI agents embed token verification into creation flows. The three‑step process requires developers to burn 1,000 JUP in a signed transaction, with no SOL...
Altcoin Quality Matters
Bitcoin’s recent rally has pushed its market dominance higher, prompting many investors to sideline altcoins. CoinShares’ actively managed Altcoins ETF (ticker DIME) offers a curated basket of higher‑tier altcoins, allowing investors to capture upside without sifting through over 8,400 tokens....
Diamante Raises $1.5m to Advance Quantum-Safe Blockchain
Diamante Financial Technologies announced a $1.5 million strategic investment from Khofiz Shakhidi, founder of Jefferson Capital and co‑founder of Minexx. The funding will accelerate development of its quantum‑safe Layer‑1 blockchain, expand the ecosystem, and drive enterprise go‑to‑market efforts across the US,...
New Revelations Reignite Crypto Scandal Involving Argentina's President Milei
Argentina's President Javier Milei, who championed the $Libra cryptocurrency last year, is now entangled in fresh allegations after phone logs revealed seven calls with the token's founder surrounding his viral X post. New documents also suggest Milei received regular payments...
The 7 Best Crypto Exchanges in 2026: Our Top Picks After Hands-On Testing
A hands‑on review of the most popular U.S. crypto exchanges ranked Kraken as the overall best, with Coinbase praised for reliability and OKX for low advanced‑trading fees. The analysis verified live‑account fees, coin selections, security practices and state availability, revealing...
Split Capital Winds Down as Founder Joins Stablecoin Startup Plasma
Split Capital, a digital‑asset hedge fund founded by Zaheer Ebtikar, announced it is winding down despite posting over 100% returns in both 2024 and 2025. Ebtikar cited a fundamental shift in the crypto market that makes the traditional hedge‑fund model...
Fintech Transcend Connects to Canton Network for Real-Time Collateral Mobility
Transcend announced integration with the privacy‑focused Canton Network, enabling real‑time movement of collateral and cash across more than 45 central counterparty clearinghouses and five triparty agents. The partnership marks the fintech’s first collaboration with a crypto firm, allowing tokenized assets...
Polymarket Bags 97% of Onchain Prediction Market Fees After Pricing Overhaul
Polymarket’s recent pricing overhaul propelled it to generate roughly $7.1 million in fees during the first week of Q2, representing about 96.8% of all on‑chain prediction‑market revenue. At that pace, the protocol is on track for an annualized $365 million run rate,...
CME Group Expands Crypto Futures with Avalanche and Sui Contracts
CME Group announced it will add Avalanche (AVAX) and Sui (SUI) futures to its crypto derivatives platform, with both standard and micro contracts launching on May 4 pending regulatory clearance. The contracts will be sized at 5,000 AVAX/500 AVAX and 50,000 SUI/5,000 SUI respectively, expanding...
Aave’s $25 Billion Lending Empire Faces a Real Test as Key Contributors Exit
Aave remains the clear leader in decentralized finance lending, controlling roughly $24.5 billion in total value locked and $17.5 billion in borrowed assets, which is about 59% of the market. Over the past two months three pivotal external teams—BGD Labs, ACI, and...
Anchorage Digital, Custodies USDM1, On-Chain Sovereign Debt Issued by the Republic of the Marshall Islands
Anchorage Digital, a federally chartered digital‑asset bank, announced it will custody USDM1, a U.S.‑dollar‑denominated sovereign debt instrument issued on the blockchain by the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The debt is collateralized one‑to‑one with U.S. Treasury securities and is issued...
Innovation Exemption, Reg Crypto on Track for Digital Asset Capital Raising
SEC Chair Paul Atkins reaffirmed plans to introduce a new “innovation exemption” and a dedicated “Reg Crypto” framework for digital‑asset fundraising. The proposals would create a time‑limited startup exemption allowing up to $5 million to be raised over four years, and...
CME Group Plans to Launch Avalanche and Sui Futures
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group announced plans to launch futures contracts on Avalanche and Sui, pending regulatory approval. The contracts will be available in both standard and micro sizes, offering capital efficiency and strategic flexibility for traders. This addition expands...
Polymarket Replaces Bridged USDC Aiming for a U.S. Relaunch
Polymarket announced its largest infrastructure upgrade, replacing bridged USDC.e on Polygon with a proprietary token, Polymarket USD, backed 1:1 by USDC reserves. The change eliminates bridge risk and coincides with a rebuilt trading engine, a hybrid central limit order book,...
Welcome to Cryptostan: Kyrgyzstan and the Emerging Crypto Corridor
In October 2025 Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, advised by Binance founder CZ, launched the national stablecoin KGST, recognized a digital som CBDC, and announced a state crypto reserve. Crypto transactions in Kyrgyzstan surged to an estimated $20‑32 billion in 2025, dwarfing...
Is Cloud Mining Legitimate? Overview of 5 Cloud Mining Platforms (April 2026)
Cloud mining lets investors rent hash power instead of buying hardware, offering a passive‑income alternative as Bitcoin mining costs rise. The April 2026 guide evaluates five platforms—AngelBTC, ECOS, Binance, NiceHash, and StormGain—highlighting their ease of use, income stability, and earnings...
North Korean Agents Embedded in 40+ DeFi Platforms for Nearly a Decade: Taylor Monahan
Security researcher Taylor Monahan revealed that North Korean actors, linked to the Lazarus Group, have been embedded in more than 40 decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms for almost ten years. The disclosure ties the recent $280 million Drift Protocol exploit to this...
Dubai-Based Firm Launches ‘Tokenised’ BTR Product with UK Asset
Dubai‑based Tokinvest has introduced the first regulated tokenised build‑to‑rent (BTR) product in the UK, backed by a 29‑unit residential conversion in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. The Great Hampton Street Works development, completed in 2025, will be offered as digital tokens that...
Dollar Stablecoins versus a Retail Digital Euro? They Are Different – Not Rivals
The U.S. Congress enacted the GENIUS Act, requiring stablecoin issuers to back each token with short‑dated Treasury securities, effectively tying the burgeoning stablecoin market to U.S. sovereign debt. This framework mirrors the EU’s MiCA rules for electronic money tokens, but...
Binance to Implement Spot Price Range Execution Rule
Binance will roll out a Spot Price Range Execution Rule (PRER) on April 14, 2026, limiting order fills to liquidity that trades within a dynamic price band. The band is calculated from a reference price and configurable percentages above and...
Crypto Apps Are Shutting Down as Billions Move Into Bitcoin ETFs and Stablecoins
In the first quarter of 2026, 86 crypto projects—including wallets, NFT marketplaces, and DeFi protocols—shut down or began winding down, marking a sector‑wide reset. The closures reflect the end of the “easy‑money” era that fueled rapid growth during the 2021‑2022...
CFTC Issues No-Action Relief to Self-Custodial Crypto-Wallet Application
On March 17, 2026 the CFTC’s Market Participants Division issued a no‑action letter to Phantom Technologies, a self‑custodial crypto‑wallet provider, stating it will not enforce IB registration requirements. Phantom plans to let users access CFTC‑regulated derivatives through third‑party collaborators while...
EToro Expands Crypto Asset Offering
eToro announced the addition of more than twenty new cryptocurrency tokens, including $EUL, $VELO, $RSR and others, to its trading platform. The new assets are offered exclusively under the regulatory umbrellas of Cyprus (CySEC), the United Kingdom (FCA), and the...
Dubai VARA Introduces Regulatory Framework for Virtual Asset Derivatives Trading
Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has launched Version 2.1 of its Exchange Services Rulebook, a purpose‑built framework that brings virtual‑asset derivatives under enforceable regulation. The rules apply immediately to all VARA‑licensed virtual‑asset service providers (VASPs) and require explicit authorisation plus...
Authorities Struggle as Crypto Drives New Wave of Money Laundering
Rapid advances in digital technology are enabling criminals to funnel illicit funds through cryptocurrencies, a trend that is outpacing Malaysia's regulatory and enforcement frameworks. The decentralized nature of virtual assets and the reliance on overseas servers make tracing transactions difficult...
Advisors Weigh Crypto Portfolio Strategies
At the Exchange conference, financial advisors debated Bitcoin’s role in portfolios, with 70 percent labeling it a high‑beta tech stock rather than digital gold. Panelists from Grayscale, Osprey and Kaiko advocated indexing crypto assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum to reduce selection...
Washington Post Cites GeoEconomics Research on China’s Cross-Border Digital Currency Platform mBridge
The Washington Post referenced a new GeoEconomics study highlighting China’s cross‑border digital currency platform, mBridge. The research notes that mBridge, built on the digital yuan, now supports real‑time settlements among pilot banks in Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian hubs....
Community Banking Association Challenges Coinbase’s Trust Bank Approval
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted Coinbase a conditional trust‑bank charter, prompting the Independent Community Bankers of America to label the decision a "grave mistake." The banking group fears Coinbase could tap the federal banking system without...
Bybit Launches Send Money in a Bid for Mainstream Users
Bybit, the world’s second‑largest crypto exchange by volume, unveiled a new Send Money feature that lets its 82 million users transfer funds in crypto or fiat to recipients who receive local fiat. The service, powered by Bybit Pay, promises settlement within...