Article written by Emma Davis

Japan’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) cracks down on unregistered crypto exchanges

Japan’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) cracks down on unregistered crypto exchanges

1 min read

Japan’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) will improve internal audit processes at financial institutions, especially for cryptocurrency exchanges. This plan seeks to close gaps in the industry and bring Japan’s rules in line with global standards. The FSA will hold a roundtable discussion with important stakeholders, including members from the Japan Cryptocurrency Exchange Association and other financial groups, to find ways to enhance internal audits in the financial sector. The action

Vitalik Buterin donates 88 ETH to adopt viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng

Vitalik Buterin donates 88 ETH to adopt viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng

1 min read

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has gained attention for donating 88 ETH, worth about $292,000, to help Moo Deng, a pygmy hippo at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand. Moo Deng became popular after her cute photos spread on social media, boosting the zoo’s visitor count and driving sales of merchandise with her image. Buterin expressed his excitement about the donation on X (formerly Twitter), showing pride in helping with

Montenegro's court rejects Do Kwon's extradition appeal

Montenegro’s court rejects Do Kwon’s extradition appeal

1 min read

Montenegro’s Constitutional Court has turned down Do Kwon’s appeal against extradition, a key moment in his legal fight. The court agreed to dismiss Kwon’s arguments, pointing out legal issues and supporting an earlier decision that allowed his extradition. Montenegro’s justice minister will decide if Kwon goes to the United States or South Korea, and it seems likely he will be sent to the US. Kwon is facing serious accusations related

Rumors of a presidential pardon for FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried spark outrage

Rumors of a presidential pardon for FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried spark outrage

1 min read

Sam Bankman-Fried, the ex-CEO of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is being talked about in relation to a possible presidential pardon after receiving a 25-year sentence for fraud and embezzlement. SBF was convicted in November 2023 on several charges. His case has sparked talks about how political ties can affect court decisions, especially because he donated a lot to the Democratic Party, including $5.2 million to pro-Biden super PACs during

Mantle Network announces its architectural transition to a zero-knowledge (ZK) validity rollup

Mantle Network announces its architectural transition to a zero-knowledge (ZK) validity rollup

1 min read

Mantle Network, an Ethereum Layer 2 solution, is making a big change to a zero-knowledge (ZK) validity rollup with help from Succinct, setting a new milestone in the blockchain world. This change in architecture seeks to improve the network’s ability to handle institutional-grade asset settlements, using its modular design and EigenLayer’s EigenDA for data availability. Since its mainnet launch on July 7, 2023, Mantle has rapidly ascended to become a

Injective partners with Sonic to create an AI agents hub

Injective partners with Sonic to create an AI agents hub

1 min read

Injective and Sonic, a game platform using the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), have teamed up to create the first cross-chain artificial intelligence (AI) agent platform. This new project will use Sonic’s HyperGrid technology to connect the Injective and Solana ecosystems, creating a Smart Agent Hub for developers. The Smart Agent Hub will use the Inter-Blockchain Communication Protocol (IBC) to enable different blockchain networks to work together easily. Injective Labs highlights

German regulators have ordered Worldcoin to delete biometric user data over GDPR violations

German regulators have ordered Worldcoin to delete biometric user data over GDPR violations

2 mins read

The Bavarian State Office for Data Protection (BayLDA) has ordered World, formerly known as Worldcoin, to delete biometric data it gathered from users due to violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This order has sparked a legal battle, as World is appealing the decision. BayLDA claims that the World’s practices, especially its iris scans, did not have a strong legal basis and violated GDPR rules. The regulator has

MicroStrategy may halt Bitcoin purchases in January due to rumored blackout restrictions

MicroStrategy may halt Bitcoin purchases in January due to rumored blackout restrictions

1 min read

There are increasing thoughts that MicroStrategy might stop buying Bitcoin (BTC) in January because of a possible blackout period linked to issuing shares or convertible debt. Blackout periods are usually set by publicly traded companies to follow rules and keep ethical practices. Reports say that Executive Chairman Michael Saylor might have limits that could make it hard for him to issue convertible debt for Bitcoin purchases right now. Investors are

Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek meets Donald Trump to discuss pro-crypto policies

Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek meets Donald Trump to discuss pro-crypto policies

1 min read

Kris Marszalek, the CEO of Crypto.com, recently talked with former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort about ways to support pro-cryptocurrency policies. The meeting highlighted the need to choose crypto-friendly people for important government roles and to change the current rules for the cryptocurrency industry. Crypto.com has dropped its lawsuit against the SEC, which it filed after receiving a Wells notice about possible enforcement action. This decision, made on

Bitcoin drops below $100K, altcoins bleed on Federal Reserve's cut rate

Bitcoin drops below $100K, altcoins bleed on Federal Reserve’s cut rate

1 min read

The U.S. Federal Reserve has implemented a 25 basis point reduction in its benchmark fed funds rate, bringing it to a range of 4.25%-4.50%. This marks the third consecutive rate cut this year, totaling a 100 basis point decrease since September. While market analysts anticipated this move, recent economic data indicated robust growth and rising inflation, prompting attention to the Fed’s policy statement and Chairman Jerome Powell’s press conference for

Riot Platforms buys 667 BTC for $69M, boosting its holdings to 17,429 BTC

Riot Platforms buys 667 BTC for $69M, boosting its holdings to 17,429 BTC

1 min read

Riot Platforms has increased its Bitcoin holdings by buying 667 BTC for $69 million, averaging $101,135 for each Bitcoin. Riot has now bought enough Bitcoin to have a total of 17,429 BTC, worth almost $2 billion. This led to an 8% rise in its stock price, showing that investors trust its strategy. Since switching to Bitcoin mining in 2018, Riot has taken a similar approach to MicroStrategy, concentrating on buying

Argentina's President plans tax cuts and free currency use, including Bitcoin

Argentina’s President plans tax cuts and free currency use, including Bitcoin

1 min read

Argentina President Javier Milei has announced plans for 2025 to change the country’s financial system by encouraging free currency use and rules that support cryptocurrency. This plan will allow Argentines to make transactions in any currency, including Bitcoin, increasing their financial freedom and flexibility. Milei’s plan includes a big cut in national taxes by 90%, allowing provinces to create their own tax rules. This decentralization seeks to reduce financial stress

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