Crypto Fund Settles With NFA Over $2.5M Bitcoin Loan

Cryptocurrency fund Ikigai Strategic Partners has agreed to pay a $150,000 fine to the National Futures Association (NFA) following allegations of an illicit bitcoin loan, according to an Aug. 20 decision by an NFA hearing panel. The fine addresses the fallout from the industry-wide liquidity crisis triggered by the collapse of crypto exchange FTX in … Read more

Zimbabwe’s Gold-Backed Currency Sees Gains, but US Dollar Remains Dominant

Zimbabwe’s gold-backed currency, the ZIG, has seen a significant increase in usage since its introduction in April. While the U.S. dollar remains the dominant currency for most citizens, the ZIG is used for 40% of payments and 80% of government transactions. The government aims to eventually replace the U.S. dollar with the ZIG as the … Read more

Binance Faces Renewed Legal Battle Over Alleged Crypto Money Laundering

Binance and its former CEO, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), are facing a revived class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Seattle. The lawsuit, filed by three cryptocurrency investors, alleges that Binance facilitated money laundering of stolen crypto assets, making them untraceable. The plaintiffs claim that their stolen crypto was … Read more

Roman Ziemian Arrested in Montenegro for Alleged $21 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud

Roman Ziemian, co-founder of the cryptocurrency platform Futurenet, was arrested in Montenegro for allegedly orchestrating a $21 million cryptocurrency fraud scheme. The arrest was part of an international law enforcement operation involving Montenegrin authorities and Interpol. Ziemian, who was living under a false identity in Podgorica, now faces potential extradition to either Poland or South … Read more

Ledn Secures Landmark $50 Million Bitcoin-Backed Loan From Sygnum to Expand Retail Lending Operations

Ledn, a crypto lending firm, has secured a $50 million Bitcoin-backed syndicated loan from Sygnum, a Swiss digital asset banking group. This loan will be used to expand Ledn’s retail lending operations, providing additional liquidity to the crypto sector and the $1.38 trillion syndicated loan market. The collaboration highlights the growing integration of crypto assets … Read more

RBI Report Highlights India’s Central Bank Digital Currency Development

India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), published its August bulletin on Monday. The report discusses several aspects of central bank digital currency (CBDC) and its implications. The RBI is actively involved in developing CBDC initiatives to enhance cross-border payments, improve financial inclusion, and mitigate risks posed by private digital instruments. The RBI’s … Read more

Woman Sentenced to Prison for Bitcoin-Funded Dark Web Murder Plot

A Utah woman, Krista Renae Stone, 23, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for attempting to orchestrate a murder-for-hire using the dark web, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Monday. Stone targeted her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend, arranging to pay $5,000 in bitcoin to a website offering hitman services between March and … Read more

7 Arrested in Illegal Bitcoin Mining Crackdown in Malaysia

Seven individuals were arrested in Malaysia during a special operation targeting illegal bitcoin mining in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi and Taman Putra Perdana. The operation, which involved coordinated efforts by law enforcement, focused on detecting and stopping bitcoin mining activities linked to electricity theft. The suspects, aged between 30 and 74, included three local men … Read more

Donald Trump Considers Elon Musk for Cabinet Role

U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stated on Monday that if elected, he would consider appointing Tesla CEO Elon Musk to a cabinet or advisory role. Trump praised Musk as a “brilliant” and “very smart guy,” expressing his openness to involving the Tesla boss in his administration if Musk were willing. Recently, Musk … Read more

Nigeria’s SEC Denies Issuing Provisional Crypto Licenses

Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that it has not yet issued any crypto licenses, contrary to some reports. The SEC plans to start issuing licenses for digital services and tokenized assets in August 2024. This move follows increased scrutiny of crypto exchanges and a push to regulate the industry, including a mandate … Read more