Crypto Emergency

SEC held its second roundtable on cryptocurrency regulation

The SEC's cryptocurrency task force held its second scheduled roundtable with industry representatives titled 'Between a Block and an Anvil: Adapting Regulation for Cryptocurrency Trading,' reports The Block.

The discussion included acting Commission Chairman Mark Weda, Chief of Staff of the Task Force Richard Gabbert, as well as Commission members Hester Peirce and Caroline Crenshaw. The crypto industry was represented by Catherine Minarik from Uniswap Labs, Gregory Tusar from Coinbase, Austin Reed from FalxonX, and others.

During the meeting, Weda expressed the view that the SEC needs to find a middle ground on the regulation of digital assets while the agency develops a long-term approach. Discussion participants also debated which specific elements of the crypto industry fall under the Commission's jurisdiction. In particular, Minarik noted that P2P transactions eliminate risks associated with intermediaries and therefore should not be regulated by the SEC.

McDonald's rejected the cryptocurrency ambitions of its shareholders

McDonald's legal team submitted a request to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to determine whether the company could ignore a proposal to acquire bitcoins without consequences. And it seems that the regulator supported this position.

The story began when the National Center for Public Policy, a think tank and shareholder of McDonald's, sent a letter to the management of the famous fast-food chain urging them to invest in the first cryptocurrency.

"McDonald's is widely viewed - including by former CFO and President Harry Sonneborn - as a real estate company that sells hamburgers," the proposal from the National Center states. "Real estate has been a much more reliable store of value than cash and bonds, but it will not grow over time as much as bitcoin, nor does it have the same liquidity. As more companies add bitcoin to their balance sheets, if McDonald's does not follow their example, it will fall behind those who were once leaders."

Trump may gain the right to fire employees of independent federal agencies

Kathy Harris worked at the Merit Protection Board, while Quinn Wilcox was at the National Labor Relations Board. Both were appointed during the Joe Biden administration. Their terms were set to expire in 2027 and 2026, respectively.

According to federal law, since both agencies are essentially independent, they could only be fired for misconduct or abuse of power. However, both Harris and Wilcox were removed from their positions shortly after Trump's inauguration.

They filed lawsuits against the new president's administration. Lower courts overturned Trump's decision, The Washington Post reports. The D.C. Circuit Court upheld the dismissal of the lawsuit, while the district court overturned it again. The Trump administration filed a petition with the Supreme Court, seeking a review of the case and reversal of the latest ruling.

OpenSea seeks clarification from the SEC that NFT markets are not exchanges

OpenSea, the leading centralized NFT platform, is seeking clarification from the U.S. SEC that NFT markets are not exchanges or brokers under federal securities laws, and on Wednesday sent a letter to Commissioner Hester Peirce, chair of the Cryptocurrency Task Force.

The SEC closed its investigation into OpenSea in February amid a wave of deregulatory actions under a more cryptocurrency-friendly administration. As part of his early official acts, President Trump instructed the agency to clarify its stance on cryptocurrencies and to establish a "Cryptocurrency Task Force" to work with the industry on developing guidelines.

For many years, the SEC has faced criticism for its "regulation by enforcement" policy and its failure to develop effective rules. Under former Chairman Gary Gensler, the agency acted as though all cryptocurrencies—except for Bitcoin—were under its jurisdiction and subject to securities laws.

Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission files lawsuit against OKX

Along with the exchange, nine people are also accused of promoting the unlicensed OKX platform on social media, according to financial advisory firm Kapronasia.

Thai authorities also noted that OKX failed to implement proper know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) procedures. This omission could potentially expose Thai investors to financial risks and undermine regulatory oversight.

If found guilty, OKX and its members face two to five years in prison, fines of 200,000 to 500,000 baht (approximately $5,890 to $14,630), and a daily fine of 10,000 baht ($293) until compliance is achieved, Thanh Nien reports.

Trump raises tariffs on China to 125%

The new trade measures are causing controversy: the U.S. raises tariffs in one market while postponing changes in others, forcing a reevaluation of long-standing economic ties.

Global markets reacted sharply after U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced in the social newspaper "Pravda" that he would raise tariffs on China to 125%, while delaying the introduction of new tariffs on other countries for 90 days.

Bitcoin rose by 5.6% to $81,636 within an hour of the announcement, reflecting broad market optimism. In his message, Trump stated that tariffs on Chinese imports would immediately rise to 125%, claiming that China does not adhere to the rules of the global market.

Trade War: Why Trump Imposed Tariffs in 2025 and What His Goals Are?

In early April 2025, Donald Trump shocked the world by announcing comprehensive import tariffs on nearly all trading partners. Basic tariffs were imposed on all imports, and for a number of countries, the rates increased several times. Financial markets reacted with a decline, analysts began to talk about the risk of recession, and the crypto community is trying to understand the implications for Bitcoin and other digital assets.

The Incrypted editorial team has uncovered what exactly happened, why Trump and his administration took such a radical step, and what the consequences will be. In March, the U.S. reinstated tariffs on metallurgy - 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum for a number of countries. The European Union condemned these actions and prepared retaliatory measures amounting to $26 billion against American exports of the same goods. Nevertheless, Trump did not stop.

The question that analysts and experts are now trying to answer is why Donald Trump took the most aggressive tariff action in decades?

Crimes involving cryptocurrencies in Scotland have increased by 2000%

The Police Scotland in their annual report stated that since 2019, the number of crimes related to cryptocurrencies has risen by 2000%. This is explained by more advanced tricks of crypto scammers.
The report does not provide an exact number of cryptocurrency crimes, but notes that organized crime groups are quickly adapting to emerging technologies and increasingly using digital assets to conceal illegal activities.

"The dark web facilitates criminals in organizing the supply of prohibited goods such as drugs, counterfeit products, firearms, and confidential data. In addition, people can be traded for bitcoins on the dark web, extortion can occur, fraud can be committed, and violence can be streamed live, law enforcement officials say.

Police Scotland has acknowledged that it currently does not have a dedicated cryptocurrency unit. However, law enforcement officials are being trained to track illegal cryptocurrency transactions.

Bitcoin Shows 'Signs of Resilience' Outpacing Stocks and Gold

Bitcoin is showing 'signs of resilience' even amid a decline in stocks and the broader cryptocurrency market in the wake of a global sell-off after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed large tariffs on imports from the United States last week, according to Binance Research.

As of midday on April 7, Bitcoin had risen nearly 1 percent to $79,000. At the same time, the S&P 500 index, reflecting the state of major U.S. stocks, remained virtually unchanged, while nearby gold futures fell by about 1.5%, according to Google Finance. Notably, the number of Bitcoins held by long-term holders continues to grow, 'reflecting conviction and limited capitulation during the recent volatility,' Binance reports.

VK Shuts Down NFT Hub: Why the Social Network is Leaving the Digital Asset Market

The leading player in the Russian Internet - VK - unexpectedly announced news: until April 15, the VK NFT Hub project is officially closed. The reason is banal but painful - enormous financial losses that the social network is no longer willing to endure.

VK, which holds a significant place in the domestic Internet culture, confirmed that the losses have reached a critical mass. In 2024, the company will incur record losses of 94.9 billion rubles (approximately 1.1 billion dollars at the current exchange rate). For comparison, the previous year the losses were a 'modest' 34.3 billion rubles.

Meanwhile, users are strongly advised to evacuate their NFTs to external wallets - otherwise, there is a chance to say goodbye to the tokens forever. After April 15, the branded badges in the form of neon diamonds, which NFT owners flaunted on their avatars, will also disappear.

The Fall of Bitcoin and the Stock Market: Why Everything is Crashing Simultaneously

This week, financial markets around the world received a serious jolt: the cryptocurrency sector and traditional stock indices fell in sync. BTC, ETH, XRP, S&P 500, and Dow Jones dropped almost simultaneously - a rare case of a complete collapse across the board.

The main trigger for this price cataclysm was a massive sell-off of positions in the American stock market. Investors massively shed assets after President Donald Trump implemented new global tariffs - an economic weapon that immediately hit valuations.

Now, market participants are watching as the situation heats up - pressure is being felt everywhere, and market turbulence is reaching a new level. The financial system, to put it mildly, has been shaken under the weight of new risks.

How Uber Uses Web3 to Attract Customers and Bypass Traditional Advertising

When traditional advertising schemes are falling apart, Uber decided not to walk on the ground but to fly into the world of Web3. Now it uses the XION blockchain technology to attract customers not through useless banners, but through proven and effective incentives.

That means no more wasting a ton of money on advertising in the hope that the right people will see it. Now Uber targets those who are already interested in rides and ready to switch to another service. Uber doesn't just hand out discounts left and right; it does everything using zero-knowledge proofs. This means that the service can verify users' ride histories without revealing their personal data.

As a result, individuals decide what and to whom to show, while Uber gets accurate and honest data without risking running into fakes and fraudsters. Previously, blockchain seemed too complex: wallets, seed phrases, exchanges, cryptocurrencies... In short, a complete headache. But XION has simplified everything.

"Day of Liberation" for Trump: retaliatory tariffs on all countries of at least 10%

Donald Trump has just concluded a press conference where he detailed his tariff strategy in honor of the "Day of Emancipation." According to him, the administration has analyzed all existing tariffs against the U.S. and now plans to introduce mirror tariffs at 50% of those rates.

The new measures will affect absolutely all imported goods, regardless of industry and initial conditions. The minimum tariff level for all countries will be 10%. Following this announcement, the markets reacted negatively: stocks and cryptocurrencies fell.

According to Trump, the essence of the "Day of Liberation" lies in the system of retaliatory tariffs. The administration calculates how many tariffs a particular country has imposed against American goods, including areas such as agriculture. The U.S. then charges either 50 percent of that amount or 10 percent. To explain the strategy, Trump demonstrated a table with calculations.

XRP in the spotlight: RLUSD raised $100 million amid Ripple's payment growth

Since April 1, over $100 million in Ripple USD (RLUSD) has been issued, marking one of the highest figures in recent months as demand for the relatively new stablecoin rises. On Tuesday, a tranche of RLUSD amounting to $50 million was issued, followed by another on Wednesday evening after Ripple added the stablecoin to its official payment product, with payment providers BKK Forex and iSend already stating they are using the stablecoin.

Industry leaders expect that RLUSD will further change the dynamics of the cryptocurrency market, where newcomers Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) may face competition from Ripple's product. Decentralized finance (DeFi) applications built on the XRP Ledger could serve as examples of how RLUSD is gaining popularity across various platforms, increasing demand for XRP tokens.

RLUSD is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar at a 1:1 ratio, offered on the XRP Ledger and Ethereum blockchain. It is fully backed by dollar deposits, short-term U.S. Treasury bonds, and cash equivalents.

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Bitcoin mining using coal energy has decreased by 43% since 2011

Over the last 13 years, the use of hydrocarbon fuels in Bitcoin mining has significantly decreased, with a notable reduction in the share of coal energy usage. According to a new report published by the industry organization MiCA Crypto Alliance in collaboration with the risk metrics data platform Nodiens, the share of coal energy used in Bitcoin mining has fallen from 63% in 2011 to 20% in 2024.

At the same time, the share of renewable energy sources used for Bitcoin mining is steadily increasing, growing by an average of 5.8% per year. The report also discusses the expected peak in energy consumption for Bitcoin mining around 2030, which coincides with a similar forecast in a study by the digital asset platform NYDIG published in September 2021.

According to NYDIG's estimates, even in a high-price scenario, energy consumption by the Bitcoin network will exceed the 2020 level by 11 times, accounting for 0.4% of global primary energy consumption and 2% of global electricity production.

CZ Introduces Paid Messages for 0.08 BNB

Binance platform founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) updated the description in X, adding a link to the ReachMe service for sending paid messages. Users can send him a direct message for 0.08 BNB (about $50), with half of the amount returned if there is no response within 5 days. The money received for messages is donated to charity.

This decision has caused a mixed reaction among community members. Some users believe that this approach creates barriers between crypto enthusiasts and industry thought leaders, since this is a huge amount for residents of some countries. User 1000xAgent noted that this model does not promote “real” interaction with the community.

Earlier, 3 hours before updating the description, CZ published a post in which he admitted that sometimes he does not understand the actions of other marketers. At the same time, he emphasized that the basic principles remain unchanged and that he does not consider himself smart if he does not understand something. The entrepreneur clarified: his post does not refer to Hyperliquid, but to the AstherusHub service on BSC, which, according to him, has no problems with liquidations.

Sberbank to launch pilot project with digital financial assets in 2025

Russian Sberbank will test mechanisms of the secondary market for digital financial assets (DFAs) on its platform in the second quarter of 2025. This was reported by Interfax, citing a statement from the bank.

The pilot project will be tested on the DFAs of the infrastructure holding National Project Construction. According to Sergey Popov, the director of the Transactional Business division, investors will be able to buy and sell assets on the Sberbank platform, which will open up opportunities for entering and exiting investments, as well as increase liquidity and transparency in the market.

The National Project Construction holding will issue two batches of DFAs totaling 2 billion rubles. The assets will allow investors to take advantage of early redemption before the end of the circulation period. For non-qualified investors, the issuance will be available with a yield of 24.25% per annum (redemption period - 12 months). For qualified investors - at the key rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation plus 2.025% (term - 24 months). The minimum entry threshold is 1000 rubles.

Israeli regulator closed the cryptocurrency exchange Bitin and fined it $460,000

The Israeli Financial Supervision Authority ordered the immediate closure of the cryptocurrency exchange Bitin, as it operates in the country without a license. In addition, the platform operator faces a financial penalty of approximately 1.7 million shekels ($460,000).

The decision regarding Bitin was made by the commissioner for capital markets, insurance, and savings Amit Gal. Although the Bitin website continues to operate, Financial Tycoons confirmed that the services for buying and selling cryptocurrency on its platform have ceased.

As seen on the website, Bitin offered services for buying and selling many cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, USDT, and USDC. The company even claimed that its clients would "get the best prices in Israel for buying Bitcoin and other virtual currencies."

Changpeng Zhao Shows Up at Elite Crypto Event in Hong Kong - Meeting Details

Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, is back in the spotlight. This time, he was spotted at an elite private crypto event in the heart of Hong Kong. The event was held at the luxurious Mandarin Oriental Hotel and brought together 40 key industry players.

The event comes as Hong Kong is accelerating its Web3 strategy, creating a comfortable environment for crypto businesses. While some countries are tightening the screws, the region is trying to lure influential whales and become a new Mecca for crypto companies.

Zhao’s presence at this private event is far from a coincidence. Binance has been walking a fine line lately, especially after being lambasted by US regulators. However, despite Zhao’s departure as CEO, his influence in the crypto world has not gone away.