Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Russia has taken a major step toward formal crypto regulation after its State Duma approved a new cryptocurrency bill in its first reading. According to state media reports, the proposal aims to establish a legal framework for crypto market participants while tightening control over domestic usage. The bill designates the Bank of Russia as the main regulator responsible for licensing exchanges, brokers, and other financial institutions involved in crypto operations. It also introduces a tiered system for investors, separating qualified professionals from non-qualified participants. Under earlier proposals, retail investors would be limited to around 300,000 rubles ($3,900) in crypto exposure.…

Volo Protocol Hack Impacts WBTC, XAUm and USDC Vaults Volo Protocol, a liquid staking platform built on the Sui blockchain, reported a security breach that resulted in losses of approximately $3.5 million. The exploit targeted assets held in the platform’s WBTC, XAUm and USDC vaults, prompting immediate emergency measures to limit further damage. Following the attack, the Volo team said it quickly notified the Sui Foundation and other ecosystem partners. The affected vaults were frozen shortly after the breach, and all impacted services will remain locked until a full technical review and post-mortem investigation are completed. The protocol clarified that…

Shares of Amazon (AMZN) climbed about 3% in premarket trading after the company announced plans to invest up to $25 billion in Anthropic, significantly expanding an existing partnership. The agreement includes an immediate $5 billion injection, with up to $20 billion more tied to performance-based milestones. This move builds on roughly $8 billion in prior funding, positioning Amazon as a long-term infrastructure partner for Anthropic. The AI firm’s valuation has surged to around $380 billion, highlighting the escalating costs of competing in the artificial intelligence sector, where computing power is becoming a critical resource. AWS to Anchor $100B AI Infrastructure…

Justin Sun, founder of Tron, has filed a lawsuit against World Liberty Financial, accusing the firm of improperly freezing his tokens and threatening to burn them without valid justification. The case was filed in a California federal court, with Sun stating the legal action was necessary to protect his rights as a token holder. According to Sun, he attempted to resolve the issue privately but was unsuccessful after repeated requests to unfreeze his tokens were denied. He emphasized that the lawsuit is focused on restoring access to his holdings rather than targeting broader political interests. Governance Transparency Concerns Raised Sun…

The state of New York has filed lawsuits against Coinbase and Gemini, alleging their prediction market products violate state gambling laws. The legal action was announced by Letitia James, who argued that contracts tied to sports, entertainment and election outcomes function as unlicensed gambling products. According to the lawsuits, the platforms act similarly to bookmakers, allowing users to stake money on uncertain future events. State regulators described users as bettors and stated that each prediction contract effectively represents a wager. Officials also raised concerns that users aged 18 to 21 could participate, despite New York law restricting mobile gambling to…

Prediction market platform Kalshi is reportedly preparing to enter cryptocurrency derivatives trading by launching perpetual futures, signaling a strategic shift beyond its traditional event-based contracts. According to reports citing sources familiar with the matter, the company plans to introduce perpetual futures commonly known as perps tied to major digital assets such as Bitcoin . Perpetual futures are derivative contracts that allow traders to speculate on price movements without an expiration date. Unlike standard futures, which require periodic rollovers, these instruments enable continuous market exposure and often include leverage features. The structure gained popularity through early crypto derivatives platforms and has…

Bitcoin surged above the April 17 high, climbing past $78,400 as momentum strengthened across the crypto market. The move marked a clear breakout from recent resistance levels, with buyers pushing the asset into fresh short-term highs. Traders interpreted the breakout as confirmation of bullish sentiment, especially after Bitcoin maintained support above the mid-$77,000 range earlier in the session. Iran Reports Signs of Potential U.S. Blockade Shift Market sentiment improved after Iranian media outlet Tasnim reported that Iran had received “some sign” suggesting the United States may be prepared to reconsider its blockade stance. The possibility of easing tensions between the…

Crypto Market Rallies After Ceasefire Extension and Short Liquidations Bitcoin (BTC) reclaimed the $77,500 level after President Donald Trump extended the Iran ceasefire, easing immediate geopolitical fears and supporting risk sentiment across global markets. The move triggered strong volatility in crypto markets, with approximately $120 million worth of short positions liquidated within the last two hours, accelerating upward momentum. The broader market followed Bitcoin’s recovery, with Ethereum (ETH) and XRP also posting gains amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the second round of US–Iran peace talks. Bitcoin is currently trading above $77,000, marking a gain of more than 4% so far this…

Long-Term ETH Price Target Linked to Store-of-Value Potential Etherealize, an institutional focused organization supporting the Ethereum ecosystem, has updated its long-term ETH price forecast to $250,000 per token, arguing the asset could eventually capture a major share of global store-of-value demand. The new projection is lower than the firm’s earlier $740,000 target issued last year but still represents a significant increase from Ethereum’s current trading level near $2,365. Vivek Raman, co-founder of Etherealize, stated that Ethereum is positioned to become a backbone of the global financial system. The forecast assumes Ethereum could capture a share of the combined $31 trillion…

A senior U.S. military leader has highlighted Bitcoin as more than a financial asset, describing it as a valuable tool for national security and technological strength. Samuel Paparo, speaking at a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, said Bitcoin’s Proof-of-Work system can increase costs for attackers attempting to disrupt networks. Paparo explained that beyond its monetary use, Bitcoin has “really important” computer science applications, particularly in cybersecurity. The hearing reviewed U.S. military posture in the Indo-Pacific region, alongside ongoing conflicts and emerging cyber threats from global adversaries. Cybersecurity Applications Highlight Growing Strategic Interest Paparo’s comments reflect earlier views shared by…