Okx Ceases Crypto Trading Services in Hong Kong — Users Advised to Withdraw Assets

Cryptocurrency exchange Okx has decided to withdraw its virtual asset service provider (VASP) license application in Hong Kong. As a result, Okx will stop offering centralized virtual asset trading services to Hong Kong residents by May 31, 2024. The exchange stressed that customer funds remain secure, and withdrawal services will continue unaffected. Okx’s web3 (self-hosted … Read more

Crypto Advocacy Group ‘Stand With Crypto’ Expands to the UK

Stand with Crypto, a global crypto advocacy organization, is expanding its initiative to the United Kingdom. Originating in the U.S., where it has garnered over 700,000 sign-ups and gained momentum with the passing of FIT21 in the House of Representatives, the movement is now mobilizing UK crypto advocates. With over 6 million crypto holders, the … Read more

Montenegro Court Blocks Do Kwon’s Extradition to South Korea

A Montenegro appeals court has reversed an order to extradite Do Kwon, the cryptocurrency entrepreneur behind Terraform Labs, to South Korea. Kwon is wanted for his alleged role in the company’s collapse, which caused a $40 billion loss and impacted global crypto markets. Both South Korea and the U.S. have sought his extradition on fraud … Read more

Coinbase Continues to Fight for Crypto Clarity, Challenging SEC Overreach in Court

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has filed a reply memorandum supporting its motion to certify an interlocutory appeal in its lawsuit against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which alleges that certain digital asset transactions conducted by Coinbase constitute the sale of unregistered securities. Coinbase’s chief legal officer, Paul Grewal, explained that the crypto exchange’s position … Read more

Crypto Exchange Gate.HK Ceases Operations — Urges Users to Withdraw Assets

Gate.HK, the Hong Kong arm of cryptocurrency exchange Gate.io, is undergoing a significant platform overhaul to enhance security and compliance, withdrawing its applications for licensing under Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO) and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (AMLO). Effective immediately, new user registrations and asset deposits are suspended. All tokens will … Read more

Former Bank CEO Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $47M to Buy Crypto, Leading to Bank Collapse

Former Heartland Tri-State Bank CEO Shan Hanes pleaded guilty on Thursday to embezzling $47.1 million for personal cryptocurrency purchases, leading to the bank’s collapse. From May to July 2023, Hanes executed at least 10 wire transfers from the Elkhart-based bank to cryptocurrency accounts. The bank’s failure resulted in a total loss of equity for investors. … Read more

Ebury Botnet Expanding: Malware Continues to Steal Cryptocurrency

ESET Research has disclosed that the Ebury botnet, a formidable malware campaign targeting servers, is still active and expanding. Initially recognized for its capability as a server-side backdoor, Ebury has compromised roughly 400,000 Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD servers, with over 100,000 still affected as of late 2023. The operators of Ebury have diversified their illegal … Read more

Standard Chartered Predicts Bitcoin Could Hit All-Time High This Weekend

Standard Chartered’s head of digital asset research, Geoff Kendrick, has predicted a significant rise in bitcoin’s price, potentially surpassing its previous all-time high of $73,798 by this weekend. His optimistic outlook is fueled by the anticipated approval of spot ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which he believes will … Read more

Goldman Sachs CEO Forecasts No Fed Rate Cuts This Year

David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, expressed doubts about the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates this year due to the resilient economy, bolstered by government spending and investments in AI infrastructure. Despite these factors, Solomon highlighted the impact of rising prices on consumer behavior, referencing recent reports from McDonald’s and Autozone indicating reduced spending. He … Read more

SEC’s Regulatory Overreach Challenged in Court: Motion Filed to Vacate ‘Dealer’ Rule

Crypto Freedom Alliance of Texas and Blockchain Association filed a motion on May 17 to vacate the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s new Dealer Rule. The plaintiffs’ counsel argues that the SEC’s expanded definition of “dealer” exceeds its statutory authority under the Securities Exchange Act, particularly affecting the digital asset industry. The brief asserts … Read more