We offer the latest news and analysis of the crypto and Web3 industries, offering thought-provoking opinion pieces as well as events that cater to the community
Riot Platforms Sells Mined Bitcoin for First Time in Over a Year
Riot Platforms (RIOT), a leading publicly traded bitcoin mining firm, announced Monday that it sold its entire bitcoin production from April, marking the company’s first sale of mined bitcoin in more than a year.
The company divested 475 bitcoin (BTC), generating net proceeds of approximately $38.8 million. This total includes 463 BTC mined in April and an additional 12 BTC from its existing reserves. Riot’s last significant bitcoin sale occurred in January 2024.
Tether Eyes $25B Crypto AI Arena With Open-Source Platform
Tether, the company behind the world’s largest stablecoin USDT, is poised to enter the burgeoning $25 billion cryptocurrency artificial intelligence sector. CEO Paolo Ardoino announced the move on X, detailing “Tether AI” as a “fully open-source AI runtime” designed for adaptability across various hardware and devices.
According to Ardoino’s post, Tether AI will operate without API keys or a central point of failure, emphasizing its modular and composable nature. Notably, it will be “WDK-infuse
Victim Rescued in Crypto-Linked Kidnapping in Paris
French authorities successfully rescued a kidnapping victim during a late-night raid on Saturday, according to local news outlets. The man, whose identity has not yet been released, was reportedly being held for a ransom demand ranging between €5 million and €7 million.
French prosecutors indicated a potential link to the victim’s family’s cryptocurrency wealth, stating that he “appears to be the father of a man who made his fortune in cryptocurrencies.” Adding a chilling detail, reports sugges
Fold Rings Nasdaq Opening Bell, Celebrates Public Listing and Bitcoin Mainstreaming
Fold, Inc., a prominent Bitcoin rewards and payments platform, marked its recent entry into the public market by ringing the Nasdaq Stock Market’s opening bell today. The ceremony, held at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square, signifies a key achievement for the company in its ongoing mission to integrate Bitcoin into everyday financial activities.
“Ringing the bell at Nasdaq is a celebration of the journey from Bitcoin’s edges to the heart of global finance,” stated Will Reeves, CEO of Fold.
MoneyGram Launches API to Bridge Cash and Crypto Worlds
Global payments giant MoneyGram has unveiled MoneyGram Ramps, a new developer-focused API designed to seamlessly integrate cash and cryptocurrency transactions. The company announced the launch during the Formula One weekend in Miami, highlighting its ambition to connect traditional finance with the burgeoning digital economy.
MoneyGram Ramps offers a streamlined solution for wallets, exchanges, and fintech applications to embed cash-to-crypto and crypto-to-cash functionalities with minimal cod
Tether Eyes US Stablecoin Launch Amid Regulatory Developments
Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin USDT with a market capitalization of $148 billion, is setting its sights on the United States with plans to launch a new USD-pegged stablecoin. CEO Paolo Ardoino revealed in a CNBC interview that the launch timeline hinges on the progress of U.S. stablecoin legislation, with a potential debut by the end of this year or early 2026.
Ardoino emphasized that this new offering would be distinct from Tether’s flagship USDT, which primarily serves u
Bitcoin Sees Potential Bullish Signal As Short-Term Holder Activity Surges
Despite the inherent unpredictability of cryptocurrency markets, historical patterns are drawing attention as Bitcoin’s short-term holder activity shows a notable increase, according to a recent analysis by CryptoQuant.
This accumulation trend among holders active for a week or less mirrors behavior observed prior to significant price rallies in January and October of the previous year. In both instances, a surge in short-term holder buying, indicated by a rise in active addresses, preceded sub
Dinari Secures $12.7M to Expand Tokenized Stock Access for Global Investors
Dinari, a cryptocurrency startup specializing in the tokenization of real-world assets, has announced a successful $12.7 million Series A funding round. The investment was spearheaded by Hack VC and Blockchange Ventures, with additional backing from VanEck Ventures, F-Prime, and the Avalanche Fund, according to a Fortune report. This latest injection of capital brings Dinari’s total funding to $22.65 million.
The California-based firm enables other companies to offer their users access to share
Galaxy Digital Eyes Nasdaq Listing Amid Crypto Market Optimism
Toronto-listed cryptocurrency investment firm Galaxy Digital is poised to transition to the US-based Nasdaq, with the move slated for May 16, pending approval from stakeholders at an upcoming shareholders meeting.
The planned Nasdaq listing for Mike Novogratz’s firm comes on the heels of a strong April for several Nasdaq-listed crypto companies, a bright spot after months of macroeconomic volatility.
In an April 30 statement, CEO Mike Novogratz hailed the potential listing as a significant mil
Buterin Outlines Vision for Ethereum’s Future Amid Network Milestone
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has shared his key areas of focus for the network’s development this year, emphasizing infrastructure upgrades for faster transaction finality, smart contract enhancements, and increased privacy.
In a recent post on Farcaster, Buterin detailed his research priorities, including achieving “single-slot finality,” which aims to make transactions irreversible within a single 12-second block. He also plans to investigate making Ethereum “stateless,” a change that
SEC Pushes Back Decisions on Dogecoin and XRP ETFs
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced delays in its decisions regarding the approval of spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for both XRP and Dogecoin (DOGE). The regulatory body revealed late Tuesday that new deadlines have been set for the Bitwise Dogecoin ETF on June 15 and for the Franklin XRP Fund on June 17.
These delays come as no surprise to analysts, including Bloomberg Intelligence’s James Seyffart, who had anticipated such postponements. Seyffart noted on X (form
Circle Secures Preliminary Regulatory Nod in Abu Dhabi, Eyes Middle East Expansion
Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin, has received in-principle regulatory approval from Abu Dhabi’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), a significant step towards expanding its operations across the Middle East. The preliminary green light, granted by the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), allows Circle to operate as a money services provider after its incorporation in the financial hub last December.
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire hailed the approval as a key advancement in the
Nexo Announces US Re-entry, Citing Favorable Climate Under Trump Administration
Crypto lending platform Nexo announced its return to the United States, two years after regulatory hurdles prompted its departure. The company cited a more welcoming environment for innovation, particularly under the Trump presidency.
“America is back and so is Nexo,” declared co-founder Antoni Trenchev at a press event in Bulgaria on Sunday, where he was joined by Donald Trump Jr. Trenchev credited what he described as a shift towards championing innovation within the U.S. under the former pre
Nike Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Shuttered NFT Platform RTFKT
Sportswear giant Nike is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging a “rug pull” following its decision to shut down its non-fungible token (NFT) platform RTFKT in January.
Filed on April 25 in a Brooklyn federal court, the proposed class suit, led by RTFKT user Jagdeep Cheema, claims that Nike’s promotion and subsequent closure of its sneaker-themed NFT platform resulted in “significant damages” for investors.
The lawsuit contends that the Nike NFTs were unregistered securities, as the company fa
DeFi Development Corp. Eyes $1 Billion Securities Offering to Bolster Solana Holdings
DeFi Development Corp. (JNVR), previously known as Janover, is significantly increasing its investment in Solana (SOL), announcing plans to offer up to $1 billion in securities. According to a recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company intends to use the proceeds for “general corporate purposes, including the acquisition of Solana.” The offering will encompass a variety of securities, including common and preferred stock, debt instruments, warrants, and units
Stripe to Pilot Stablecoin Payments for International Businesses
Global payments giant Stripe is gearing up to test a new product enabling stablecoin payments for businesses operating outside the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. CEO Patrick Collison confirmed the initiative on social media, stating that this offering has been in development for nearly a decade and is now entering a pilot phase with select users.
This announcement follows Stripe’s recent regulatory approval to acquire Bridge, a payments platform established by former
Federal Reserve Eases Crypto Asset Guidance for Banks
The Federal Reserve Board announced Thursday a significant shift in its oversight of banks engaging in crypto asset and stablecoin activities, withdrawing previous guidance and altering its expectations for these engagements.
In a statement, the central bank indicated the move is intended to ensure its supervisory approach adapts to the evolving risks within the digital asset space while fostering innovation in the banking system.
A key aspect of this policy adjustment is the immediate resciss
BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Nears 3% of Total Supply Amidst Market Uncertainty
BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) is rapidly accumulating Bitcoin, with its holdings now representing nearly 3% of the cryptocurrency’s total supply, according to data from Arkham Intelligence. The firm reported on Friday that BlackRock now holds 2.77% of all Bitcoin, having added another $1.2 billion worth of the digital asset this week alone.
While BlackRock manages these assets on behalf of its clients, the significant accumulation underscores the growing institutional demand for Bitcoin.
PancakeSwap Achieves Record $205 Billion Trading Volume in Q1 2025, CAKE Token Price Remains Flat
Decentralized exchange (DEX) giant PancakeSwap has reported its most successful quarter to date, processing a staggering $205.3 billion in trading volume during the first quarter of 2025. This represents a remarkable 921% surge compared to the $20.1 billion recorded in the same period in 2023, according to data from Dune Analytics.
The platform also saw significant growth in user engagement, with 5.83 million unique traders utilizing PancakeSwap in Q1 2025, an 81% increase over the past two y
Ljubljana Crowned World’s Most Crypto-Friendly City in New Report
The Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, has been recognized as the world’s most accommodating city for cryptocurrency users, according to the 2025 Crypto Report by migration advisory firm Multipolitan.
The newly released Crypto-Friendly Cities Index placed Ljubljana ahead of major financial hubs Hong Kong and Zurich, Switzerland, which tied for second place. The index evaluated 20 cities globally, assessing their crypto-friendliness based on factors including regulatory frameworks, tax environments,