“We’re changing finance” they said... well, they did. Now another round of repayments to clean up the mess is that made is on the way. This time, they’re dishing out $1.6 billion to creditors on September 30.

This marks the third big distribution since Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto empire imploded back in November 2022. For those keeping score, previous payouts have already sent more than $6 billion back into the hands of people who once logged in expecting to trade crypto, not accidentally fund a real-life cautionary tale.

The FTX Recovery Trust, the team babysitting what’s left of crypthe empire, says payments will flow through BitGo, Kraken, or Payoneer. As long as creditors have jumped through the verification hoops on the claims portal, they should see the money land in their accounts within three business days. Smooth sailing—well, smoother than the last time they dealt with FTX.

Where things stand:

- FTX.com Customers (Class 5A): Getting an extra 6% this round, which brings them up to about 78% repaid overall.

- FTX.us Customers (Class 5B): A hefty 40% payout this time, pushing them up to 95% repaid in total.

- General Unsecured + Digital Asset Loan Claims (Classes 6A & 6B): Both groups are seeing a 24% distribution in this round, bringing them to 85% overall.

- Then users with under $10k (Class 7) should have recouped 120% following this payment - more than they lost. 

But worth noting, this is based on USD value of their account the on the day FTX shut down, and in many cases users would have earned much more if it all remained in crypto.

When the exchange went under, it didn’t just bruise investor confidence. It helped shove the entire crypto market into a nasty bear phase. And, of course, Sam Bankman-Fried himself ended up convicted on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. The man who once charmed Congress and celebrities alike now has fewer freedoms than his onetime favorite video game character in League of Legends.

While Some Prison Time is Deserved, The Facts in the End Got Me Thinking...

Thinking back to the day when Sam was sentenced to 25 years in prison -  the courtroom heard gut-wrenching testimony. Several FTX users explained how they’d lost their life savings, their security, their futures—gone overnight. The judge, right after hearing all this devastation, handed down a quarter-century prison term. Case closed, right?

But... none of that ended up happening. 

Fast-forward to now, and the math looks different. Thanks to a little timing and some lucky investments (hello, Solana at under $1), creditors aren’t just being made whole—they’re being paid back at about 125% of their original U.S. dollar balances. In other words: nobody actually lost their life savings after all.

But here’s the kicker—Sam is still serving a sentence fit for someone who ruined thousands of lives. Make no mistake, what he did was fraudulent, reckless, and criminal. He absolutely deserves years behind bars. But 25 years - that's a bill to the taxpayer for roughly $1,100,000! That’s where things feel messy.

Imagine instead: house arrest, an ankle monitor, zero unsupervised internet access, and the entire bill picked up by Sam and his wealthy parents. He’s not a violent offender, I don't think anyone fears him. Keeping him caged for decades doesn’t make us any safer - it just has us paying for his meals really.

The irony is hard to miss: the victims are walking away with more than they lost,  but taxpayers still foot the bill to warehouse Sam for 25 years. Justice? Maybe. Efficient? Not even close.

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Author: Oliver Redding
Seattle Newsdesk  / Breaking Crypto News

Tether, the company behind the world’s largest stablecoin USDT, is making a big move into the American market. On Friday, CEO Paolo Ardoino announced the upcoming launch of a new U.S.-focused stablecoin called USAT, expected to go live by the end of the year.

The new project will be run by Bo Hines, a former White House digital assets official, who will serve as USAT’s CEO. Unlike Tether’s global USDT, USAT is being structured as a U.S. company, with headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.

What is USAT?

According to its official website, the new stablecoin is designed to give users the “power of the dollar” in digital form. It will be:

-  Fully backed by liquid reserves such as U.S. dollars and short-term Treasuries

-  Issued under U.S. law, specifically the recently passed GENIUS Act, which created the first federal regulatory framework for stablecoins

-  Capable of instant, peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries

Unlike USDT, which is issued offshore, USAT will be issued directly from within the U.S. by Anchorage Digital Bank, a federally chartered crypto bank founded in 2017. Custody services will be provided by Cantor Fitzgerald, a major Wall Street firm.

Why Now?

Ardoino described the launch as a response to growing competition in the U.S. market, particularly from Circle’s USDC, which recently went public in a blockbuster IPO.

“I think it’s a very exciting moment because we were under severe pressure from competitors that want to create a monopolistic environment in the United States,” Ardoino said at the New York press event. “We believe that Tether is the best product in the market.”

Hines echoed the sentiment: “We want people to know that Tether is here to participate in the U.S. economy in a huge way. I think our expansion will be exorbitant over the course of the next 12 to 24 months.”

The Bigger Picture

Tether already plays a massive role in global finance. Its flagship stablecoin, USDT, has a market capitalization of more than $169 billion (CoinGecko). The company is also one of the largest buyers of U.S. Treasury bills, holding more than $33 billion worth as of 2024.

Analysts at J.P. Morgan recently noted that stablecoin issuers could become the third-largest buyers of U.S. government debt in coming years — an eye-opening prospect for both Wall Street and Washington.

The U.S. government has been warming up to stablecoins under the Trump administration. The GENIUS Act, signed into law in July, requires that all stablecoins be backed by high-quality liquid assets and that issuers publish monthly reserve disclosures.

A History of Scrutiny, and an Active Investigation?

Tether’s U.S. expansion comes despite its history of regulatory run-ins. In 2021, the company settled with the New York Attorney General’s office over allegations that it misled investors about the reserves backing USDT, agreeing to provide quarterly reports.

More recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. authorities were looking into whether Tether had violated sanctions or anti-money-laundering rules. Ardoino denied that the company is under investigation.

What’s Next

If USAT launches on schedule, it will directly challenge Circle’s USDC for dominance in the American stablecoin market. By anchoring the project within U.S. regulations and institutions, Tether is clearly signaling that it wants to be more than just the world’s leading offshore stablecoin issuer.

Personally, I find stablecoins hard to get excited about. Of course, I use them regularly and agree with their usefulness - but all I need to be fully satisfied with one is that it holds its value. If several prove to do this reliably, I don't care which one I use. It's just a bit odd seeing competition between coins  that literally do the exact same thing.

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Author: Oliver Redding
Seattle Newsdesk  / Breaking Crypto News

Most messaging apps today depend on the internet, big companies, and central servers to send your messages - none of the above applies to Bitchat, the new app co-created by Jack Dorsey (former Twitter CEO and co-founder) and Bitcoin developer and long-time privacy advocate Calle.

Bitchat features both messaging, and the ability to send/receive Bitcoin payments. 

The main motivator to create Bitchat was privacy, which is minimal in most popular messengers today,  as your data is being handled by someone else. Bitchat functions so independent from company servers, it doesn't even need an internet connection.   Bitchat doesn’t need the internet to work, and it even lets you send Bitcoin directly.

What Makes Bitchat Different?

1. Privacy First

Bitchat doesn’t ask for your email, phone number, or personal info. That makes it harder for companies, governments, or hackers to snoop on you. It’s built around Bitcoin’s core values: decentralization, censorship resistance, and peer-to-peer freedom.

2. Works Without Internet

Stuck at a festival with no signal? In a rural area? Or even in a power outage? Bitchat still works. That’s because it connects devices directly through something called a mesh network. Your messages hop from one phone to another until they reach the person you’re chatting with.

In fact, during major outages—like the one in April 2025 that knocked out power across parts of Spain, France, and Portugal—Bitchat could have kept people connected.

3. Send Bitcoin Anywhere

Besides chatting, you can also send Bitcoin through the app. No banks, no payment processors—just Bitcoin’s own network. Your phone can even create and sign transactions offline, which then travel through nearby devices until they reach the network.

For merchants, this could be a game-changer. Payments don’t need middlemen, and in the future, integration with the Lightning Network could make transactions even faster and cheaper.

4. Extended Range with Mesh Networks

Normally, Bluetooth works only a short distance. But Bitchat uses Bluetooth mesh networking—your message can jump from phone to phone, extending the range up to 300 meters (or farther if more people are connected). Think of it like a digital relay race.

5. Built on Cypherpunk Ideals

Bitchat isn’t just a tech experiment—it’s a nod to the cypherpunk movement, which values privacy, independence, and control over your own communications.

How It Works...

Local Mesh: Phones connect directly using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Messages hop across devices until they arrive.

Optional Global Mode: If you want to reach beyond local connections, Bitchat can use Nostr—a decentralized protocol that runs through relays on the internet.

Encryption: Messages are secured with the Noise protocol, so only the sender and recipient can read them.

Efficiency: Data is compressed to save bandwidth, and the app adjusts its power use to save battery.

The app is still new, and while its private messaging system is strong, it hasn’t been fully audited by outside security experts yet.

Criticisms and Concerns...

Bitchat has gotten plenty of attention for its bold approach, but it hasn’t been without criticism.

When the beta launched earlier this month, Dorsey promoted it as a secure and private messaging tool. Soon after, security researcher Alex Radocea published a blog post pointing out a serious flaw: it’s currently easy to impersonate other people inside Bitchat.

“In cryptography, details matter,” Radocea wrote. “A protocol that has the right vibes can have fundamental substance flaws that compromise everything it claims to protect.”

Dorsey later admitted the app had not yet gone through an external security review, meaning there may still be unknown vulnerabilities.

Another concern is the app’s distribution. On iOS, Bitchat is available through the App Store. For Android, users must download it from GitHub since it hasn’t officially launched on Google Play. Unfortunately, multiple lookalike apps have already appeared on the Play Store—some with thousands of downloads—raising the risk that people may install a fake version instead of the real one.

The only legit ways to download it is the Apple App Store for iOS users, or their official GitHub for Android users. 

Should You Download It?

There's some legitimate reasons to have something capable of offline messaging for emergencies, places outside of cell reception, or places where cell towers can be overloaded like large events.  But i'd hold off on trusting it with your Bitcoin, the concerns we covered here are legitimate, and any environment where it's easy for one user to pose as another is not the place for financial transactions.  

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Author: Mark Pippen
London Newsroom
GlobalCryptoPress | Breaking Crypto News

BONK Launchpad is having its moment. It’s become the go-to spot for top deployers migrating from Pump.fun, pushing out 300+ new tokens per day. That’s not just momentum—it’s dominance. BONK is now outpacing Pump.fun in both daily launches and token “graduations” (when a token hits enough liquidity and trading activity to get listed on big Solana DEXs like Raydium).

By the numbers, BONK is crushing it: it accounts for 58.5% of all token launches and an even more impressive 75% of all graduations. It just broke into the top 3 for memecoin social dominance—for the first time ever. The BONK crowd is loud, proud, and absolutely riding this wave.

But there’s a plot twist brewing...

Rumors are flying about a major comeback move from Pump.fun: a native token drop that could steal the spotlight back. Details are scarce, but a now-deleted pre-sale banner on Gate.io has only stoked the fire.

If the leak holds water, here’s what’s coming:

Token: $PUMP

Total Supply: 1 trillion

Pre-sale: 150 billion tokens at $0.004

Raise Target: $600 million

FDV: $4 billion

That $4B valuation looks like a bargain next to Messari’s $7B fair value estimate for Pump.fun. Then again, with 100% of tokens unlocking at launch, selling pressure could hit hard if the hype isn’t rock solid.

Sources on X point to a potential launch window between July 12–15, with the pre-sale possibly kicking off this Saturday. So yeah, it’s getting real.

What This Means for Solana...

A token drop of this scale isn’t just big news for Pump.fun—it could ripple across the entire Solana ecosystem.

Traders might dump other assets to ape into $PUMP,  Liquidity Drain: SOL could get sucked into $PUMP liquidity pools, starving smaller tokens, or it could trigger a hype squeeze where $PUMP hype might drown out new launches... which actually isn't good when you're a launchpad. 

With SOL already testing key support levels, any of those effects could create short-term turbulence. Weaker tokens could take the biggest hit, and fresh launches might get overshadowed entirely.

The Good News...

These storms usually pass quick. Solana’s still one of the most resilient ecosystems in crypto. Once the $PUMP hype cycle runs its course, we’ll likely see attention rebalance across the memecoin landscape.

Just be careful—this kind of buzz is prime time for scams. Fake $PUMP tokens will almost definitely flood in. As always, DYOR and stick to verified channels.

This isn’t just another token launch—it’s shaping up to be a full-on memecoin moment for Solana. Will $PUMP deliver the spark to reclaim the throne? Or is BONK just getting started?

Let’s see who really runs the playground.

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Author: Oliver Redding
Seattle Newsdesk  / Breaking Crypto News

In a surge of activity that may mark a pivotal moment for Bitcoin and the broader crypto market, a diverse set of publicly traded companies and financial institutions are now aggressively building digital asset reserves—led by Bitcoin, but increasingly extending into newer, execution-focused blockchains.

Those jumping in are finding the attention a company gains when announcing a large crypto investment is almost instantly boosting interest in their stock, with many seeing gains of 20% or more immediately following the announcement. 

From biotech firms to Wall Street giants, the message is clear: digital assets are no longer fringe experiments, but strategic assets with growing roles in treasury management, investment diversification, and future-facing innovation.

Medical Meets Bitcoin: Prenetics Buys $20 Million in BTC..

In a headline that once would’ve sounded like satire, a life sciences company has made one of the largest crypto purchases in its industry to date. Prenetics Global Limited, a genomics and diagnostics leader based in Hong Kong, acquired 187.42 Bitcoin—roughly $20 million—at an average price of $106,712 per BTC.

While unrelated to its core operations in DNA testing and personalized medicine, the company sees Bitcoin as a long-term complement to its mission. CEO Danny Yeung believes “genomics, personalized medicine, and digital assets will intersect,” envisioning a future where blockchain and healthcare co-evolve to redefine how we view longevity, privacy, and generational wealth.

Lion Group Bets Big on DeFi with $600M Credit Line

Meanwhile, Lion Group Holding, a Nasdaq-listed firm, has secured a massive $600 million credit facility to accumulate Solana (SOL), Sui (SUI), and a relatively new but rapidly emerging token: Hyperliquid (HYPE). Through this initiative, dubbed “HYPE Treasury,” the company aims to position these assets—especially HYPE—as foundational pillars for an on-chain derivatives and treasury strategy.

“HYPE, with decentralized sequencing, fits into our vision of scalable DeFi systems,” said CEO Wilson Wang. The firm is even considering dual listings on the Tokyo and Singapore stock exchanges, signaling ambitions to globalize what could be the first HYPE-based treasury structure in Asia.

This move further reflects the growing trend of companies not just investing in crypto, but aligning their business models with decentralized finance itself.

Semler Shifts Focus: Aiming for 105,000 BTC and a New Director of Bitcoin Strategy

Joining the institutional frenzy, Semler Scientific, a medical diagnostics firm, is prioritizing Bitcoin accumulation over its core operations. The company has revealed plans to purchase up to 105,000 BTC—roughly 0.5% of Bitcoin’s fixed 21 million coin supply.

To guide this strategic shift, Semler hired renowned Bitcoin researcher Joe Burnett as its Director of Bitcoin Strategy. Burnett’s background includes roles at Unchained and Blockware Solutions, indicating a deliberate pivot toward deep crypto expertise.

Semler’s bold play adds fuel to a new narrative: that public companies may soon see Bitcoin not just as a hedge—but as a primary reserve asset.

BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Nears $70 Billion AUM...

And then there’s BlackRock—the world’s largest asset manager—whose Bitcoin ETF, the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), has amassed nearly $70 billion in assets under management. This accounts for over 3.25% of the total BTC supply and more than half of the market share among all U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs.

The sheer size and speed of IBIT’s growth underscore what analysts have hinted at for months: institutional adoption is accelerating, and it’s no longer speculative. According to Brickken analyst Emmanuel Cardozo, “institutional players are here for the long run.”

What This Means: Short-Term and Long-Term Outlook...

In the short term, these moves could spark increased price stability and renewed upside momentum for Bitcoin and select altcoins. Institutional buying reduces circulating supply and raises confidence in BTC as a safe-haven asset—especially in volatile macroeconomic conditions.

At the same time, the entry of companies outside traditional finance—such as medical and biotech firms—suggests Bitcoin is transcending its role as just "digital gold" to become a strategic reserve for a variety of industries.

In the long term, this convergence of crypto with sectors like genomics, diagnostics, and asset management may birth entirely new hybrid financial models. We could see decentralized protocols serving as backbone infrastructure for corporate treasury management, health data systems, or even personalized asset portfolios for individuals.

As companies like Semler, Prenetics, and Lion Group pivot their balance sheets and strategic direction toward blockchain, and with giants like BlackRock normalizing BTC on Wall Street, the message to competitors is simple: adapt or risk irrelevance in the age of decentralized capital.

In Conclusion...

The era of speculative crypto hype may be ending, but what’s taking its place is far more profound: a reshaping of corporate finance where digital assets are no longer optional. Whether Bitcoin becomes the new gold standard of the corporate world or just one of several strategic assets remains to be seen—but the race is undeniably on.

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Author: Ross Davis
Silicon Valley Newsroom
GCP | Breaking Crypto News

The recent surge in gold prices isn't just a reaction to market jitters—it's a signal flare. Investors are flocking to safe havens, but there’s another asset riding this wave with a different kind of momentum: Bitcoin. Often dubbed “digital gold,” BTC is increasingly seen as both a refuge and a revolutionary financial instrument.

As gold crosses the $3,300 per ounce mark, and even hit a record $3,500 briefly in April, Bitcoin has been quietly staging a comeback of its own. It’s not just shadowing gold—it’s carving its own path, powered by a new generation of investors who see beyond tradition and into the future.

The Uncertain World Fuels the Rush

We’re living through another wave of economic turbulence. With global trade tensions escalating—especially after President Trump’s aggressive new tariffs on over 60 countries, including a staggering 245% on Chinese imports—the world feels like it's on edge. In return, China upped its own tariffs to 125%, triggering fears of an all-out trade war.

Naturally, investors turn to safety. Gold is the old guard: tangible, familiar, and stable. Bitcoin, meanwhile, is for those who believe the digital age requires digital solutions. Both assets are benefitting, but the why behind each is telling.

Gold ETFs saw $8 billion in net inflows just three weeks ago—a record. Meanwhile, Bitcoin surged 10% following Trump’s tariff announcement (dubbed “Liberation Day” by crypto fans), jumping from $85K to $97K before settling around $94K. That's still 13% below its all-time high, but the confidence is building.

A New Kind of Safe Haven

What’s striking is how Bitcoin and gold are starting to move in tandem. From April 7–21, gold rose 15%, and Bitcoin was right behind it at 12%. Analysts at Kobeissi called this a “flight to decentralized, inflation-protected assets”—a sign investors aren’t just seeking safety, they’re seeking sovereignty.

The Pearson correlation shows that Bitcoin and gold are aligning more, while distancing from major stock indices like the Nasdaq and S&P 500. That’s a strong indicator that Bitcoin is evolving into a legitimate store of value—not just a speculative bet.

Gold Is Old Money. Bitcoin Is Asymmetric Opportunity.

Gold’s market cap sits around $22 trillion. It's massive, mature, and stable, with demand from jewelry to industrial use. But that maturity comes with a ceiling—growth is slow, and supply can still increase with new mining operations.

Bitcoin? Entirely capped at 21 million coins. That built-in scarcity is rocket fuel for price potential. Its current market cap—around $1.8 trillion—is tiny by comparison, which means massive upside if adoption scales.

Big names are bullish. MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor sees BTC hitting $140K this cycle. ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood goes further—forecasting a $2.4 trillion valuation long-term if institutional adoption takes off and governments start treating BTC as a strategic reserve.

In Conclusion

Gold is doing what gold does best—providing stability in unstable times. But Bitcoin is doing something more: it's reframing the very definition of value in a digitized world. One is rooted in the past; the other is aligned with the future.

As global uncertainty continues to stir the pot, both assets are attracting attention—but for very different reasons. Gold offers reassurance. Bitcoin offers revolution. And if current trends hold, we may be witnessing not just a rally, but a rebalancing of how the world defines and defends wealth.

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Author: Oliver Redding
Seattle Newsdesk  / Breaking Crypto News

Jack Mallers is the fonder of Strike, (which to me has always seemed like the all-crypto version of Cash App) and now heads a 2nd venture as he has just been named CEO of a new company called Twenty One, and he’s not wasting any time setting the tone. His mission? Overtake Michael Saylor and Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) as the biggest corporate holder of bitcoin.

In a Bloomberg Technology interview, Mallers laid it out plain: Twenty One isn’t trying to be a fintech, a bank, or a crypto hedge fund. It’s a Bitcoin-first, Bitcoin-only company. Everything it does—from the products it builds to how it returns value to investors—is centered on one goal: stacking sats and scaling hard.

“We want to be the best vehicle for investors to gain exposure to bitcoin in the public markets,” Mallers said - making it clear they want to be seen as an official competitor to Michael Saylor and Strategy. 

The idea for Twenty One came after years of deep involvement in Bitcoin infrastructure—Mallers has worked alongside Tether and played a major role in Bitcoin adoption efforts in El Salvador. Now he’s aiming to do what no one else has done: build a public company from scratch that’s Bitcoin-native from day one. No pivoting from old-school industries. No legacy baggage.

On the other side of the ring is Michael Saylor, who’s basically become the poster child for corporate Bitcoin accumulation. With over 530,000 BTC in Strategy’s vaults, Saylor’s been rewriting the playbook for capital markets—raising billions via bitcoin-backed bonds and preferred stock to fuel the company’s ever-growing stack.

Mallers isn’t denying Saylor’s influence—in fact, he says Saylor was part of the inspiration. But where Saylor is evolving a decades-old company into a Bitcoin vehicle, Mallers is building the future from scratch. It’s new-school vs. old-school, and the battleground is Bitcoin.

Realistically, Twenty One's goal of catching up to Strategy is a long shot, at least when it comes to total Bitcoin held.  The company will launch with 43,000 BTC in hand which is a massive amount in any other circumstance, except comparing it with Strategy's 530,000 BTC.

Where they can make a name for themselves is becoming the company currently accumulating the most Bitcoin, while Saylor is unlikely to be dethroned as the one who currently holds the most Bitcoin.

Is This a Good Thing? 

It's easy to get caught up in the immediate effects of companies fighting over who can accumulate the most Bitcoin, as the immediate result is driving up the price. When it comes to supply and demand, whales with huge appetites obviously add a lot of momentum to the 'demand' end. 

But it's also putting the power to crash the entire market in the hands of a very small group of people. Of course, Saylor and really any investor with a basic understanding of the market would never dump 530K BTC onto the market at once, that obliterates their own profits as the market would have crashed long before even half of the coins were sold.

However, even a smaller portion like 10% for example - in the case of Strategy, that's still over $3 billion in BTC flooding the market, which would probably sent Bitcoin's price down by $10,000 to $15,000.  Then when you consider this may trigger another large holder to panic - it's not just about how many tokens one major holder sells, it's the total amount they sell + scare others in to selling when a sizeable red candle appears.

Then there's the obvious argument against companies trying to get as much Bitcoin as possible - remember, decentralization? It's easy to forget in a story about 2 companies who want it all.


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Author: Adam Lee
Asia News Desk 
Breaking Crypto News

GameStop used to be the ultimate meme-stock after the massive gains it made thanks to Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets.

But lately, it’s not making quite the same level of noise. While it’s still a name that sparks strong opinions, GME has drifted into the mid-$20 range for most of the past year, with only a short-lived stint in the $30s. 

On Tuesday after the bell, the company reported an earnings beat, posting 30 cents per share on $1.28 billion in revenue. For fans tracking its financial health, the real eye-opener might be GME’s free cash flow, which turned positive: $158.8 million this year compared with last year’s negative $18.7 million.

But the real big news...

GameStop’s board has unanimously approved a update to the company’s investment policy: The company can hold Bitcoin. Yep, that means GME is clearing a path to hold BTC on its balance sheet. Sure, buying in a few years ago might’ve been a jackpot move when Bitcoin was just a fraction of the price it is now? Still, better late than never, and hardcore Bitcoin maximalists will actually tell you that this is still early.

While we don't know how much they plan to buy, we do know they're sitting on about $4.7 billion in cash, which is a massive war chest for a company with an $11.35 billion market cap. The decision to diversify into Bitcoin signals that management is open to some of the new trends shaping modern finance.

By integrating Bitcoin into its treasury strategy, GME might attract a new wave of tech-savvy retail investors, the same crowd that invests in MicroStrategy, the company that owns more Bitcoin than any other business or person. That synergy between loyal shareholders and forward-thinking decisions could work in GameStop’s favor.

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Author: Mark Pippen
London Newsroom
GlobalCryptoPress | Breaking Crypto News

Today we're learning the story of a Bitcoin block that was mined just a couple days ago by a solo miner, surprising the crypto community by successfully mining block #887,212 with just a 480 GH/s Bitaxe rig.

For some perspective, these mini-miners earn about $3 per year - yes you're reading that correctly, per year - that is, unless it happens to be the one to mine a new block.  Running a small rig like this is often compared to buying a lotto ticket, except you only need to pay once and get to play every day.

The Odds...

This miner was using solo.ckpool, a popular choice among individual miners looking to strike digital gold without joining massive pools.

Pool developer Con Kolivas emphasized how remarkable this feat was, estimating that similar rigs have less than a one-in-a-million daily chance of solving a block. Statistically speaking, the average wait time for success with a rig this size is roughly 3,500 years.

To put this into perspective, industrial-scale Bitcoin miners commonly run setups about 2000% more powerful, so beating them with a rig this size is extremely rare.

Tiny Rig, Huge Payoff

This miner earned a reward of about $260,000 at the time, or 3.15 BTC plus an extra 0.025 BTC from transaction fees, according to mempool.space.

Adding to the surprise, the Bitaxe rig used in this incredible win was ultra-affordable, selling for around $90 on Ebay.

Solo Mining Faces Giants

Today, Bitcoin mining is dominated by major players like Foundry USA, whose massive hashrate primarily comes from publicly traded giants such as Cipher Mining, Bitfarms, and Hut 8. MARA Holdings, another heavy hitter, even operates its own dedicated MARA Pool.

Unlike commercial mining hardware that's typically proprietary, Bitaxe offers open-source solutions. Enthusiasts like Skot claim that open-source mining better reflects Bitcoin's core decentralized spirit—making this rare win even sweeter for Bitcoin purists.

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Author: Mark Pippen
London Newsroom
GlobalCryptoPress | Breaking Crypto News

By now you've probably heard of the staggering blow to crypto exchange Bybit, as they confirmed a massive $1.4 billion exploit, making it the largest crypto hack on record

We're now learning some additional details - according to Bybit CEO Ben Zhou, the attacker compromised one of the exchange’s Ethereum cold wallets, siphoning off huge quantities of ETH and stETH by manipulating a single transaction.

Bybit’s CEO says the hacker got hold of the private keys to a specific ETH cold wallet and transferred the funds to an unknown address. Top blockchain analytics groups like ZachXBT and Arkham Intelligence have verified these massive outflows, with Arkham noting that the stolen funds are now being split and sold through multiple addresses.

Is User Money Safe?

Zhou insists that other Bybit wallets weren’t impacted. The platform is still processing withdrawals—99% of user requests have reportedly gone through without a hitch. Bybit is maintaining they have enough liquidity to honor customer withdrawals in full.

Setting a New Record...

This new $1.4 billion hack officially takes the top spot for the largest theft in crypto history. It surpasses both the Ronin Network’s $625 million loss and the $611 million Poly Network exploit, both of which rocked the market in 2022.

Catching the Hacker...

The biggest hack is now offering the biggest reward, up to $140,000,000 (10% of total hacked funds) for anyone who can track down who is responsible.

This is bad news for the hacker, because unless we're looking at a government sponsored action (such as North Korea) you can be sure the hacker bragged about his accomplishment at least within a small circle of fellow hackers - if so, with a reward this size someone is bound to turn on them.

Blockchain researcher ZachXBT was among the first to flag the suspicious outflows. He reports the stolen ETH has been split across 39 different addresses—likely an attempt to hide the funds and evade tracking.

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Author: Adam Lee 
Asia News Desk / Breaking Crypto News

The first full day with President Donald Trump back in the White House begun with crypto making a notable leap on Tuesday, buoyed by a resurgence in bullish sentiment following President Donald Trump’s first full day back in the White House. Bitcoin surged over 2%, hitting $107,180 and finding support around $106,200.

In the spotlight was “Official Trump,” a token introduced last week to symbolize the new administration. After a rocky start with a plunge of more than 20%, the token managed to trim its losses to 2.5% within 24 hours. This rebound hints at the market's tentative optimism surrounding Trump's crypto-friendly promises.

SEC Announces Their "Crypto Task Force"...

On the regulatory front, the Securities and Exchange Commission took a proactive step by announcing that Acting Chair Mark Uyeda has established a “crypto task force.” This initiative aims to develop a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto assets, signaling a move towards more structured oversight in the space.

Trump’s return has been met with enthusiasm from crypto investors who view his presidency as a potential catalyst for industry growth. The president has pledged to implement policies that support cryptocurrencies, including a favorable regulatory environment and the creation of a federal Bitcoin reserve. 

As the crypto market navigates these developments, traders should keep a close eye on regulatory changes and market sentiment shifts. The intersection of political influence and digital assets continues to shape the future landscape of cryptocurrency investment and innovation.
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Author: Oliver Redding
Seattle Newsdesk  / Breaking Crypto News

PayPal is taking another step forward in the cryptocurrency space, announcing on Wednesday that U.S. merchants can now buy, hold, and sell crypto directly through their business accounts.

This move reflects the growing mainstream acceptance of digital currencies, especially following the approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this year. What was once considered a fringe asset class is now becoming more integrated into traditional finance.

"Business owners have increasingly expressed interest in having the same cryptocurrency options that consumers already enjoy," said Jose Fernandez da Ponte, PayPal’s Senior Vice President of Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and Digital Currencies.

PayPal's Decision to Enter Crypto has Paid Off, Big...

PayPal first entered the crypto scene in 2020, allowing customers to trade and hold Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies within its platform. Since then, they’ve been leading the charge for fintech companies embracing digital currencies. Most notably, in August 2023, PayPal launched its own dollar-backed stablecoin, marking a major milestone as the first major fintech to introduce a stablecoin for payments and transfers.

Stablecoins, unlike more volatile cryptocurrencies, are tied to stable assets, providing a level of price protection for users wary of the dramatic swings often seen in the market.

In addition to this, PayPal is also allowing U.S. merchants to transfer cryptocurrencies externally to third-party wallets, further expanding their crypto functionality. However, there’s one notable exception—these new crypto services won’t be available to businesses in New York at launch.

PayPal's move into the crypto sector has been paying off, and is credited as a primary reason for the the company's stock boost this year, where it's climbed nearly 26% so far.

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Author: Mark Pippen
London Newsroom
GlobalCryptoPress | Breaking Crypto News

PayPal’s foray into the world of crypto has been a huge success for the company, and the highlight of this venture has to be their flagship stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD), recently crossing the $1 billion mark in total market capitalization, as reported by CoinMarketCap.

Launched in 2023, PYUSD is pegged to the US dollar at a 1:1 ratio, ensuring stability and ease of use for transactions in the digital economy. The stablecoin is issued by Paxos Trust Company, a US-regulated entity known for its compliance and security standards in the crypto space.

As an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain, PYUSD benefits from Ethereum’s robust infrastructure and widespread adoption in the blockchain community. This design choice means it’s not only compatible with Ethereum but also integrates seamlessly with the broader ecosystem of third-party developers, wallets, and Web3 applications. For developers and businesses, this translates to an easier onboarding process for integrating PYUSD into their platforms and products, enabling a smoother user experience and expanding the utility of digital assets in everyday transactions.

The rise of PYUSD is a significant milestone, underscoring the growing demand for stable, fiat-backed digital currencies...

Stablecoins blend the benefits of blockchain technology with the familiarity of traditional money. According to Dan Schulman, president and CEO of PayPal, the increasing shift towards digital currencies necessitates reliable, easy-to-integrate financial instruments that are both digitally native and anchored by fiat currencies like the US dollar. PYUSD aims to fill this gap, offering a stable value that helps mitigate the volatility typically associated with cryptocurrencies.

Moreover, PYUSD is the only stablecoin currently supported by PayPal’s payments infrastructure, making it a unique offering in the digital payments space. This exclusivity suggests that PayPal is positioning PYUSD as a cornerstone of its strategy to bridge traditional finance and the decentralized finance (DeFi) world, catering to a growing user base that’s increasingly comfortable with digital currencies.

For crypto exchanges, the appeal of PYUSD lies in its backing by a trusted name like PayPal and a regulated issuer like Paxos, offering an extra layer of credibility that many other stablecoins lack. As stablecoins continue to play a pivotal role in the adoption of digital currencies, PYUSD’s rapid ascent highlights the potential for major fintech companies to influence and shape the future of digital payments.

With PYUSD’s market cap on the rise, all eyes are on how PayPal will leverage its established global reach and technological prowess to further drive the adoption of digital currencies and redefine the landscape of online payments. As the digital finance space evolves, PYUSD could be a key player in the ongoing transformation of how value is stored, transferred, and used in a world that’s increasingly turning to blockchain technology.

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Author: Oliver Redding
Seattle Newsdesk  / Breaking Crypto News

In a sweeping operation across Germany, authorities have confiscated nearly €25 million ($28 million) in cash from cryptocurrency ATMs that were operating without proper permits, according to a statement issued by the country’s financial regulator, BaFin, on Tuesday.

The operation targeted cryptocurrency ATMs located in 35 different sites across the country. These machines were facilitating the trade of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies but lacked the necessary licensing, which raised concerns about their potential use in money laundering activities.

BaFin collaborated closely with law enforcement agencies and the German Bundesbank to carry out this extensive operation. The seizure of these ATMs marks a significant step in Germany’s ongoing efforts to regulate the fast-growing cryptocurrency market, particularly in the wake of a global surge in Bitcoin ATM installations in 2024.

The crackdown also underscores Germany's commitment to stringent regulatory enforcement within the crypto space. ATM operators found to be in violation of licensing requirements face severe legal consequences, including penalties of up to five years in prison, according to AML Intelligence.

This recent action is part of a broader regulatory push by German authorities to manage the risks associated with cryptocurrencies. The German government has been under scrutiny for its approach to handling seized digital assets, particularly after it liquidated the last of its seized Bitcoins in July 2024. That sale included 3,846 Bitcoins, each valued at approximately $62,604, most of which had been confiscated in previous operations.

As Germany continues to tighten its grip on the cryptocurrency sector, this operation serves as a stark reminder to operators that compliance with regulatory requirements is not optional.

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Author: Mark Pippen
London Newsroom
GlobalCryptoPress | Breaking Crypto News

Former president Donald Trump continues to repeat his stance as the crypto-friendly candidate, and it's resulting in votes and donations from the tech world.

Trump has seen the light. 5 years ago the former President was saying crypto was “a disaster waiting to happen” but since then has made a number of pro-crypto statements. 

Trevor Traina, ambassador to Austria during the Trump Administration and current tech executive, tells Reuters that Trump said “he would be the crypto president” at a recent San Francisco fundraiser.

Unexpected Support in 'Liberal' Silicon Valley

As someone in Silicon Valley, I never expected to hear that Trump was in San Francisco, raising millions from the tech elite that were clearly against him in the previous two elections.

But just three days ago, Silicon Valley venture capitalists David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya hosted the former president at Sacks' mansion in the wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood, where Trump gave a speech, followed by a dinner and reception. The tickets started at $50,000, and the event sold out, ending in $12 million being raised for the campaign.

Trump Arriving in San Francisco earlier this week.

Crypto is among a list of policies that have 'turned off' those now supporting Trump in a city that voted 85% for Biden.

All Happening While Biden's Administration Continues to Advocate Policies that Aren't Just Bad for Crypto - They Expose a Complete Lack of Understanding of How Crypto Works

For example, the first crypto-related proposals exposed that the Biden administration viewed wallet providers the same as banks, saying they should be required to verify the identities of all users. In reality, wallets are simply software that runs entirely on the user's end, different from a bank in every possible way.

The creator of a legitimate crypto wallet is both blind and powerless when it comes to who uses it and what those users are doing. They cannot help the government seize someone's crypto, even with a warrant, because they literally cannot access it. They also cannot prevent anyone from using the wallet they created - if the file to install it is accessible, anyone can use it.

In other words, it is both completely pointless to require wallet creators to demand information from users they have no authority over, and there is no reason for users to comply when ignoring these new requirements has the same end result - them being free to continue using whatever wallet they want.

No one can be surprised that the industry rightfully fears the end result of people writing new laws intended to regulate something they clearly do not understand.

As Trump Warmed Up To Crypto, His Campaign Made Sure to Show It

In 2022, the announcement that he would be running again came with the launch of Trump NFTs on the Ethereum-based platform OpenSea.

In 2023, his financial disclosure filed with the Office of Government Ethics included a crypto wallet with up to $500,000 worth of assets in it - this wallet's value recently broke $5 million in value. Since the wallet address became known, both random users and projects have gifted or airdropped coins to it.

Then last month, his campaign announced they will accept crypto donations for the 2024 election.

There are Legitimate Reasons Any US Leader Should Support Crypto

One major contributing factor to the US's global power is the strength of the US dollar, and one major reason the dollar is so strong is its status as the global 'reserve currency' as well as the official standard currency for purchasing oil from the world's largest supplier - OPEC in the Middle East.

When the global economy is in turmoil, as seen recently during the COVID pandemic, many nations converted their treasury to US dollars. The Federal Reserve was overwhelmed initially, having to scramble to fulfill other countries’ central banks' demands for what is seen as the world's most stable currency.

That word 'stable' is one crypto investors are familiar with - as the US dollar is finding yet another market where it has become the standard for investors looking for a stable currency to both cash out and re-enter trades from.

In fact, when it comes to cryptocurrencies tied to standard fiat money, the top 16 stablecoins are all based on the US dollar, with 'STASIS EURO' at #17 and less than $1 million in daily transactions. The top stablecoin USDT has done $39 billion in the same 24-hour time period.

While the crypto market trades digital versions, the two that account for the overwhelming majority of stablecoin transactions, USDT and USDC, are both publicly audited companies that verify they hold the money to back up the coin. This means as we've watched stablecoin usage skyrocket over the last few years, offline this created new real-world demand for US dollars.

You would think this would result in crypto having no effect on the election, as both sides would support its continued growth. Regardless of what your opinions may be on other issues - it's a fact that only one candidate seems to be getting this one right.

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Author: Ross Davis
Silicon Valley Newsroom
GCP | Breaking Crypto News

It's over for the infamous Craig Wright, one of Bitcoin's early developers who actually did work with Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto, then in recent years begun to claim he was Satoshi himself.

 A ruling by a High Court judge in London on Monday (May 20) determined that the Australian computer scientist Craig Wright provided false testimony and fabricated documents to substantiate his unsubstantiated assertion of being the inventor of bitcoin.

Judge James Mellor, in a decision rendered in March and with reasons outlined on Monday as reported by Reuters, concluded that the evidence did not support Wright's claim to be the pseudonymous "Satoshi Nakamoto" behind bitcoin's creation. The judge found that Wright had been deceitful and had forged documentation to bolster his inventor claim, and that Wright's legal actions against bitcoin developers as well as his expressed views on bitcoin contradicted his purported status.

Developers Feel Relief Following Ruling...

Wright's legal attempt, had it succeeded, would have given him the right to sue anyone who built anything on Bitcoin's network, as he would become the copyright holder to Bitcoin's code.

In a blog post on Monday following the ruling, a Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) spokesperson said that the judgment "forensically demolishes Wright's fraudulent claims."

"This decision is a watershed moment for the open-source community and even more importantly, a definitive win for the truth," a COPA spokesperson said. "Developers can now continue their important work maintaining, iterating on and improving the bitcoin network without risking their personal livelihoods or fearing costly and time-consuming litigation from Craig Wright."

Wright Vows To Appeal...

On X (formerly Twitter), Wright stated on Monday: "I fully intend to appeal the decision of the court on the matter of the identity issue. I would like to acknowledge and thank all my supporters for their unwavering encouragement and support."

Wright first came forward with his claim to be bitcoin's creator in May 2016, making the assertion to three publications — the BBC, The Economist, and GQ — and sending digitally signed messages using cryptographic keys created during bitcoin's early development days.

"These are the blocks used to send 10 bitcoins to Hal Finney in January [2009] as the first bitcoin transaction," Wright stated at the time during his demonstration.

However, by December 2019, when a Florida judge ruled that Wright's late partner was entitled to half of the bitcoins Wright mined through 2013 and half of the related intellectual property, some crypto experts were skeptical of Wright's claims, viewing them as fraudulent.


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Author: Mark Pippen
London Newsroom
GlobalCryptoPress | Breaking Crypto News

 Late Sunday night in the US, Coinbase users were greeted with the following message:

Coinbase is temporarily unavailable. Our servers are busy. We’re looking into it and expect our usual service to return soon. Your funds are safe.