Category: crypto

The CFTC has expanded its 35-member Innovation Advisory Committee with executives from leading crypto firms like Coinbase and Ripple. The committee will help modernize regulatory oversight and support the agency’s goal of future-proofing U.S. financial markets. The majority of the committee members are from digital asset firms.

Cryptocurrency use in human trafficking transactions increased by 85% in 2025, with payments primarily made through stablecoins, laundering networks, and escrow platforms in Southeast Asia. Chainalysis tracked these transactions involving escort services, labor recruiters, and child sexual abuse material, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The use of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Monero, in…

Ethereum is trading around $1,937, consolidating after a February sell-off. ETHZilla launched tokenized aviation assets on Ethereum, backed by jet engines leased to a U.S. airline. Technical indicators show support at $1,900 and $1,800, resistance at $2,000 and $2,200. Ethereum remains in a bearish trend below the 50-day SMA.

CEO Ramil Ventura Palafox of Praetorian Group International was sentenced to 20 years in prison for running a $200 million Bitcoin Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 90,000 investors worldwide. Palafox used investor funds for personal expenses, with no actual trading occurring. Restitution efforts are ongoing for victims of the scheme.

22 Bitcoins worth $1.6 million were lost from Gangnam Police Station custody in South Korea. The digital assets were seized during a 2021 investigation and discovered missing during a national audit. An internal probe is ongoing to determine how the Bitcoin was transferred without authorization, following a similar incident at another office.

Standard Chartered has once again lowered its long-term Bitcoin and Ethereum price targets for 2026 due to weak macroeconomic conditions, softer Fed-cut hopes, ETF outflows, and changing investor behavior. The bank’s head of digital assets research, Geoff Kendrick, highlighted these factors as key drivers for the downward revisions.

Bitget has launched Gracy AI, an animated digital human modeled on CEO Gracy Chen to provide guidance on market cycles, strategy, and career decisions for cryptocurrency users. The tool emphasizes leadership-oriented guidance over price predictions and is part of Bitget’s broader AI development roadmap within its UEX transformation initiative. Themed conversation modules are introduced for…

In 2025, Chainalysis reported an 85% increase in cryptocurrency flows to suspected human trafficking services, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars globally. Telegram-based escort services, scam-compound labor agents, prostitution networks, and CSAM vendors increasingly use stablecoins and privacy tools for cross-border payments. Blockchain transparency allows investigators to track transactions and link wallets to criminal groups.

Vitalik Buterin believes that crypto apps should focus on real utility and committed communities rather than relying on financial incentives for user growth. He warns against unsustainable reward structures and emphasizes the importance of creating useful applications to drive adoption in the cryptocurrency industry.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio warns of a rise in romance scams targeting people through online relationships, including requests for cryptocurrency payments. Scammers build fake relationships before asking for money, often under the guise of emergencies or investments. Officials advise not to send money to online partners.