Author: Teererai Mukonavanhu

Article written by Teererai Mukonavanhu

Mango Markets shuts down operations

January 13, 2025 1 min read

Mango Markets, a decentralized exchange on the Solana blockchain, is shutting down due to legal issues, including a settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Launched in August 2021, Mango aimed to offer fast and affordable trading using its MNGO token. However, in September 2024, the SEC charged Mango DAO, the platform’s governing body, for selling unregistered MNGO tokens during a fundraising round that raised over $70 million.

Oklahoma man pleaded guilty to operating a $9.4M fraudulent crypto investment firm

January 11, 2025 1 min read

An Oklahoma man pleaded guilty to operating a $9.4M fraudulent crypto investment firm. Travis Ford, a 35-year-old man from Oklahoma, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was involved in running a fraudulent crypto investment firm called Wolf Capital Crypto Trading LLC. The U.S. Department of Justice announced this on Friday. Ford was the co-founder, CEO, and head trader of Wolf Capital. He encouraged people to invest

Donald Trump unveils his “Trump Bitcoin Digital Trading Cards” on Bitcoin Ordinals

January 10, 2025 1 min read

Donald Trump has introduced a new NFT collection called “Trump Bitcoin Digital Trading Cards” on the Bitcoin network using the Ordinals protocol. This initial batch consists of 160 cards, with plans for a total of 200. Buyers can obtain 100 cards from the “Mugshot Edition” through the Magic Eden marketplace by linking their Bitcoin wallets. This collection marks Trump’s first NFT project on Bitcoin, following previous releases like the “Trump

The developer behind the AQUA Bitcoin wallet raises $5M to develop its Liquid Network wallet AQUA

January 6, 2025 1 min read

JAN3, the creators of the Bitcoin wallet AQUA, have successfully secured $5 million in seed funding to enhance the development of their Bitcoin-centric superapp. The funding round was spearheaded by Fulgur Ventures, with participation from notable investors including Tether, Grupo Salinas, Lightning Ventures, and East Ventures. This latest funding follows an earlier pre-seed round in which JAN3 raised $620,000 in early 2023. Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, highlighted the wallet’s

FDIC’s “Pause Letters” urges banks to halt crypto services

January 6, 2025 1 min read

Recent documents from Coinbase reveal that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issued “pause letters” to banks between 2022 and 2023, advising them to halt certain cryptocurrency services until the agency could better assess associated risks. These letters specifically instructed banks to stop activities like Bitcoin transactions through third-party partnerships and advanced crypto services. Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, Paul Grewal, argues that these communications reflect a coordinated effort to limit

India intensifies crypto scam crackdown by teaming up with Google and Meta

January 5, 2025 1 min read

India is ramping up its fight against crypto-related scams, particularly the rising “pig butchering” frauds, through a partnership with tech giants Google and Meta, as outlined in the Ministry of Home Affairs’ 2024 annual report. These scams, which have reportedly cost investors over $3.6 billion in 2024, primarily target vulnerable populations, including unemployed youth and financially struggling individuals, by promising high returns on crypto investments. Scammers typically use social media

Vitalik Buterin donates 50 ETH to support the legal defense of a Tornado Cash developer

January 3, 2025 1 min read

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has made headlines by donating 50 ETH, valued at approximately $170,000, to support the legal defense of Roman Storm, a developer associated with Tornado Cash. This donation, confirmed by Storm on December 31, underscores Buterin’s commitment to privacy and open-source development in the cryptocurrency sector. Storm expressed deep gratitude for Buterin’s support, highlighting the inspiration it provides during his legal challenges. Storm is currently facing

USDT stablecoin issuer Tether buys 7,629 BTC worth $705 million

December 31, 2024 1 min read

Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, has significantly increased its Bitcoin holdings by acquiring 7,629 BTC, valued at approximately $705 million. This acquisition raises Tether’s total Bitcoin holdings to 82,983 BTC, worth around $7.68 billion, making it the sixth-largest Bitcoin holder globally. This move aligns with Tether’s strategy to allocate 15% of its profits towards Bitcoin purchases, a plan initiated in May 2023, as part of their broader effort

Hackers target crypto professionals on LinkedIn with fake job offers

December 31, 2024 1 min read

Hackers are targeting crypto professionals on LinkedIn by pretending to be recruiters from well-known companies and using malware to steal victims’ cryptocurrency wallets. Cybercriminals use real tools like video interview platforms and offer fake job opportunities to trick potential victims. LinkedIn has removed over 80 million fake profiles in six months, but it still has a hard time dealing with these clever scams. Security expert Taylor Monahan pointed out how

Solana co-founder is sued by ex-wife for stealing millions in staking rewards

December 29, 2024 1 min read

Stephen Akridge, co-founder of Solana, is in a legal dispute with his ex-wife, Elisa Rossi. She claims he took millions in staking rewards from her cryptocurrency wallet. Rossi says that Akridge used his blockchain skills to secretly get into her accounts and take rewards from their shared Solana investments without her permission. The couple, married for ten years, filed for divorce in February 2023. As part of their settlement, Rossi

A father raises $14 million through meme coin campaign

December 27, 2024 1 min read

Siqi Chen’s journey shows how meme coins can create positive social change. After his four-year-old daughter, Mira, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called craniopharyngioma in September 2024, Siqi went through a tough time. While his daughter had surgery and started to recover, Siqi decided to focus on something bigger—raising money for children’s brain tumor research instead of looking for help for his family. A user named Waddles made

Mo Shaikh steps down as CEO of Aptos Labs

December 23, 2024 1 min read

Mo Shaikh, co-founder and outgoing CEO of Aptos Labs, has stepped down, marking an important change for the blockchain company he started three years ago with Avery Ching. Shaikh, active in the blockchain sector since 2016, shared his pride in Aptos’ achievements in a sincere message on X. Aptos has grown into a strong ecosystem with more than a thousand builders and innovators from around the world under his leadership.