Category: crypto

U.S. authorities sanctioned crypto exchanges Shelbit and Aban Tether for allegedly helping Iran evade restrictions and move funds tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. IRGC-linked wallets sent over $1 million in crypto to Shelbit, which then transferred more than $2 million to IRGC-controlled addresses. The sanctions aim to disrupt Iran’s access to international financial…

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes that crypto adoption will continue to grow despite the Senate delaying the CLARITY Act vote until September. Stablecoins, tokenization, and expanding digital asset markets are driving this momentum. Armstrong emphasizes that companies can still operate under existing rules while awaiting clear federal regulations from Congress.

An exploiter connected to the Aztec Private Rollup Bridge deposited an additional 300 ETH into Tornado Cash, bringing the total to 500 ETH. The exploit, which lost $2.165 million in June, involved a legacy product separate from Aztec’s current network. The use of Tornado Cash to obscure funds is part of a wider trend of…

The U.S. Senate has started the process to consider the CLARITY Act, with an initial procedural vote scheduled for September after lawmakers return from their August recess. Negotiations are ongoing over ethics, enforcement, and stablecoin rewards. The bill needs 60 Senate votes to move forward. Bitcoin and crypto-related stocks remained steady.

Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF added 232.5 BTC valued at $15.05 million, increasing its holdings to over 6,500 BTC for the first time. Other major financial institutions like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Franklin Templeton also accumulated Bitcoin during the recent market weakness. The ETF purchases aim to absorb Bitcoin entering the market.

EU officials plan to revise the MiCA crypto framework in 2027 due to restrictions on foreign stablecoins and faster U.S. rulemaking. Changes may address issues with non-EU stablecoins, expand to cover tokenized assets, and align with global regulations. The European Commission is consulting with stakeholders to shape the upcoming proposal.

The XRP Ledger is proposing a privacy amendment called Confidential Transfers for institutional transfers, aiming to encrypt balances and payment amounts while keeping account and token types visible. The XRPL hosts over $530 million in distributed tokenized assets outside RLUSD. Validators must approve the proposal for activation, along with other amendments focused on institutional asset…

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $853.5 million during five consecutive inflow sessions in early August, reversing the previous week’s withdrawals. BlackRock accounted for the majority of demand, with IBIT attracting $693 million. Ethereum ETFs also added $244.9 million. Other crypto ETF categories did not see significant demand compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum.

BitMEX spent two years looking for a buyer before deciding to close the exchange due to founder control issues, declining activity, and legal problems. Potential acquirers, including rival exchanges and Exodus, were deterred by these issues. The exchange was seeking a valuation of $1 billion but ultimately could not secure a deal.

Bitcoin holders face the risk of losing real BTC if they attempt to sell coins created by a BIP-110 chain split without separating their balances first. A minority chain could emerge without replay protection, putting holders at risk of replay attacks. The split could result in two transaction histories with the same balance, making it…