Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has removed spot trading pairs involving Tether’s USDT and other non-compliant tokens in the European Economic Area (EEA), in a move to align with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The decision follows an earlier announcement from Binance outlining plans to delist non-MiCA-compliant assets by March 31, 2025. While EEA...
Legal & Regulations
Gotbit Founder Agrees to Forfeit $23M in Crypto in U.S. Market Manipulation Plea Deal
Aleksei Andriunin, founder and CEO of the Gotbit market-making platform, has agreed to forfeit approximately $23 million in Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) as part of a plea agreement with U.S. federal prosecutors in Massachusetts. The Russian national will plead guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and market manipulation, according...
Australia Proposes New Crypto Laws Ahead of Election, Pledges Action on De-Banking
Australia’s Labor-led government has unveiled plans to regulate cryptocurrency exchanges and custody services under existing financial services laws, part of a broader effort to formalize the country’s digital asset landscape. The proposal, released by the Treasury Department on March 21, aims to extend financial compliance standards to major crypto platforms while offering exemptions for smaller...
Bybit CEO Weighs in on Hyperliquid’s $4M Loss from Leveraged ETH Trade
Bybit CEO Ben Zhou addressed the recent $4 million loss suffered by decentralized exchange (DEX) Hyperliquid due to a high-leverage Ether trade, acknowledging that centralized exchanges (CEXs) face similar challenges in handling liquidation risks. On March 12, a crypto trader walked away with $1.8 million, forcing the Hyperliquidity Pool (HLP) to absorb a $4 million...
Trump’s White House Crypto Summit: Confirmed Attendees and Key Discussions
As U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to host the first White House Crypto Summit on March 7, more than 20 industry leaders have confirmed their participation. The roundtable, scheduled from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm UTC, is expected to include over 25 attendees, including members of the Presidential Working Group on Digital Assets. According to...
SEC Drops Appeal in Crypto Dealer Rule Case, Ending Legal Battle
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has abandoned its appeal in a case that sought to expand the definition of a dealer, a move widely viewed as a threat to decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. In a filing to the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court on February 19, the SEC stated its decision to “voluntarily dismiss...
Scammers Pose as FTX Debt Claimants, Stealing $5.6 Million
A sophisticated scam group posing as FTX debt claimants has defrauded two companies of more than $5.6 million, according to a recent report by Inca Digital. The perpetrators allegedly utilized AI-generated identities and gained unauthorized access to bankruptcy records to execute the scheme. The investigation identified the likely culprits as individuals operating under the aliases...
CFTC Charges New York Resident in Crypto Fraud Case Amid Enforcement Shift
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has taken decisive action against cryptocurrency-related fraud, announcing a consent order charging New York resident Rashawn Russell with fraud. The case, one of the first under acting Chair Caroline Pham, signals the agency’s renewed focus on enforcement in the digital asset sector. According to the CFTC’s Feb. 10...
South Korea to Lift Crypto Trading Ban for Institutions in 2024
South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (SFC) has announced plans to lift its longstanding ban on institutional cryptocurrency trading, responding to increased global participation in the market. The regulator disclosed on Thursday that non-profit organizations, including charities, universities, school corporations, and law enforcement agencies, will be able to sell virtual assets in the first half of...
Utah Poised to Become First US State to Establish Bitcoin Reserve
Utah is on track to become the first U.S. state to establish a Bitcoin reserve, driven by a compressed legislative calendar and significant political momentum. According to Satoshi Action Fund CEO Dennis Porter, Utah’s 45-day legislative session gives the state a unique opportunity to move quickly on Bitcoin-related legislation. “It’s either sink or swim in...