CHINA IGNORES US PRESSURE ON OIL IMPORTS FROM RUSSIA AND IRAN

* China has rejected the United States’ demand to halt crude oil imports from Russia and Iran.

* This decision challenges US sanctions policy and could affect global diplomatic relations.

* In response to rising geopolitical tensions, Bitcoin’s price saw a moderate decline.

ARKHAM IDENTIFIES SUSPECTS BEHIND LARGEST BITCOIN THEFT

* Analytics firm Arkham Intelligence has linked one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts in history to a Chinese mining group.

* According to Arkham’s analysis, this group is suspected of stealing significant assets.

* The disclosure comes from on-chain data analysis, which examines publicly available Bitcoin transactions.

BLACKROCK BITCOIN ETF COULD BENEFIT FROM SEC CHANGES

* The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has increased the limit for ETF option contracts tenfold.

* Analysts say this could significantly boost the appeal and liquidity of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).

* This will allow institutional investors to build larger and more complex positions using Bitcoin options.

STAKING PLATFORM LIDO LAYS OFF 15% OF STAFF

* Ethereum staking protocol Lido, one of the ecosystem leaders, has announced a 15% workforce reduction.

* The decision affects teams in Lido Labs, Lido Ecosystem, and Lido Alliance.

* According to a co-founder, the restructuring aims to ensure the project’s long-term financial stability.

FORMER UK FINANCE MINISTER WARNS UK IS LOSING CRYPTO LEAD

* Former UK Chancellor George Osborne warned that the UK risks losing its position in the global cryptocurrency race.

* He criticized the current government and the Bank of England for delays in implementing clear regulatory frameworks.

* In his view, the country is falling behind global competitors that are adapting faster to new financial technologies.

ETHEREUM WHALES INCREASE THEIR POSITIONS

* The largest Ethereum holders, known as “mega whales,” continued to buy the cryptocurrency during the weekend dip.

* On-chain data confirms increased accumulation activity by these major market players.

* Such behavior is seen as a sentiment indicator among key market participants.

CAPITAL B RAISES 11.5 MILLION EUROS TO EXPAND BITCOIN RESERVES

* Capital B has raised 11.5 million euros in a funding round to expand its Bitcoin reserves.

* This is part of the firm’s strategy to hold Bitcoin as a reserve asset on its balance sheet.

* The project is being carried out in collaboration with the TOBAM Bitcoin Alpha Fund.

JAPANESE FIRM METAPLANET BUYS MORE BITCOIN

* Japanese investment company Metaplanet purchased 463 Bitcoins worth approximately 53.7 million USD.

* This brings the company’s total holdings to 17,595 BTC, worth about 1.78 billion USD.

* Metaplanet is one of the publicly listed companies that regularly invest their financial reserves in Bitcoin.

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