A former boyfriend of Ruja Ignatova, the mastermind of the Ponzi scheme Onecoin, has received five years in prison. The sentence is for the laundering of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of proceeds from the notorious crypto scam which defrauded investors around the world. Ruja’s Former Boyfriend Sentenced for Money Laundering Linked to Onecoin
Top Stories This Week Paxos ‘categorically disagrees’ with the SEC that BUSD is a security The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has defined the stablecoin Binance USD (BUSD) as a security in a Wells Notice sent to its issuer, Paxos Trust Company. The SEC alleges the organization failed to register BUSD under federal
Sales of non-fungible token (NFT) assets over the last seven days rose 43.97% compared to the previous week, according to statistics recorded on Feb. 18, 2023. The volume of NFT sales reached $397.86 million this week, with 345,716 NFT buyers and roughly 1.62 million transactions. NFT Sales Continue to Rise in 2023, Ethereum Dominates NFT
The largest marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Opensea, has announced major changes to its fee structure and policies in response to a shift in the NFT ecosystem. The company detailed that it will drop fees to zero for a limited time and offer an optional creator earnings model with a minimum of 0.5% for all
Bitcoin (BTC) NFTs will have a positive impact on Bitcoin ecosystem by improving its security and incentivizing developers to build on the network, according to independent developer Udi Wertheimer. The number of newly created Ordinals, also referred to as “inscriptions”, have been spiking in recent weeks, causing a surge in transaction fees and average block
Caitlin Long, CEO of crypto bank Custodia, criticized the U.S. government for its handling of a massive crypto fraud that occurred months before the company’s collapse. She made her remarks in a blog post after disclosing evidence to law enforcement. Long’s post followed Custodia’s unsuccessful application to become a member of the Federal Reserve System,
Polkadot remained close to its highest level since September, as bullish sentiment rose to start the weekend. Following a move above $7.00 on Friday, momentum was high during Saturday’s session. Chainlink was also higher, with prices tracking at a nine-day high. Polkadot (DOT) Polkadot (DOT) remained close to a multi-month high on Saturday, following a
Ethereum was once again trading above $1,700 to start the weekend, as cryptocurrencies rebounded from Friday’s decline. The global crypto market cap rallied in today’s session, as bulls moved to buy yesterday’s dip. Bitcoin was also back in the green, with prices nearing the $25,000 mark. Bitcoin Bitcoin (BTC) moved toward the $25,000 mark on
Mining refers to the process of verifying and adding new transactions to a blockchain network, such as in the case of Bitcoin (BTC) or other cryptocurrencies. The economics of mining refers to the economic incentives and costs associated with the mining process, as well as its impact on the broader economy. The economics of crypto
The Nigerian crypto payment gateway Fluidcoins was recently bought for an undisclosed sum by Blockfinex, in a deal which the former’s CEO Lanre Adenowo described as an “acquihire deal.” Blockfinex reportedly said it will leverage the acquisition to launch its own platform known as Blockpay. Scaling Blockfinex’s Crypto Payment Processing Business The Nigerian crypto payment
The Brazilian government is preparing to release a decree to fill the blank spaces that the recent approval of the cryptocurrency law has left open. The document, prepared by the Ministry of Finance, will establish the areas of oversight and responsibilities for the Central Bank of Brazil and the national securities regulator (CVM). Brazilian Government
Bitcoin (BTC) is leaving traders guessing as the future of the bull market depends on the last week of February. In multiple tweets on Feb. 17, popular trader and analyst Rekt Capital flagged crucial resistance battles ongoing on BTC/USD across multiple timeframes. Bitcoin price squares off with bear market downtrend Bitcoin hit new six-month highs
Norwegian authorities, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), have allegedly seized about $6 million that was stolen in last year’s Axie Infinity heist. “It is the biggest crypto seizure Norwegian police have ever made,” said Norway’s Økokrim. Norway and FBI Recoup Some Stolen Funds From
The CEO of Custodia Bank Caitlin Long has slammed regulators and lawmakers in Washington D.C. for their “misguided crackdown” on the crypto sector, and also for ignoring her warnings of major “fraud” allegedly conducted by now-bankrupted entities. In a Feb. 17 blog post titled “Shame On Washington, DC For Shooting A Messenger Who Warned of
Crypto exchange Binance expects to pay fines to U.S. authorities to settle regulatory and law-enforcement investigations over its past conduct, the company’s chief strategy officer reportedly said. When Binance began its business, the company was unfamiliar with the rules it needed to comply with in the U.S., the executive explained. Binance Plans to Settle With
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has called on Congress to pass clear crypto legislation, warning that the U.S. risks losing its status as a financial hub. “Crypto is open to everyone in the world and others are leading,” the executive stressed. Coinbase’s CEO on Cryptocurrency Regulation The CEO of the Nasdaq-listed cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN),
Another member of Sam Bankman-Fried’s inner circle allegedly plans to plead guilty to criminal charges for his role in the alleged fraud that occurred at the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. According to unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Nishad Singh, FTX’s former director of engineering, is attempting to negotiate a deal with New York prosecutors. Sources
A draft law filed in the Russian parliament permits operators of platforms providing financial services to also run blockchain platforms. The legislation will allow them to combine their regular activities in the traditional financial market with issuing digital assets. New Law Opens Door to Blockchain Space for Russian Financial Service Providers The State Duma, the
A complaint filed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission said Terra co-founder Do Kwon and Terraform Labs laundered more than $100 million worth of Bitcoin from the platform following its collapse in May 2022. According to the SEC complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on
Polygon has extended recent gains, with prices climbing to a fresh ten-month high during Friday’s session. The token has now risen for a fourth consecutive session, and is up 13% from the same time last week. Polkadot also rallied on Friday, colliding with a key resistance level in the process. Polygon (MATIC) Polygon (MATIC) rose