Author: Tristan Lodenberg

Aurelion, a Nasdaq-listed firm building a treasury backed by Tether Gold, has allocated 10,000 units of tokenized gold valued at approximately $48 million into the newly launched XAUE Protocol. The protocol was introduced by the Aurise Foundation as a treasury layer designed to enable yield generation on gold-backed tokens while maintaining exposure to the underlying commodity. Aurelion, previously known as Prestige Wealth, has been positioning tokenized gold as a primary reserve asset. In October 2025, the company secured $150 million in financing, including $100 million in private investment and a $50 million debt facility, to support its long-term strategy. Institutional…

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has filed a lawsuit against the state of New York, escalating an ongoing legal conflict over who has authority to regulate prediction market platforms. The federal agency argues that such markets fall under its exclusive jurisdiction and cannot be restricted by individual states under gambling laws. This latest action follows recent moves by New York regulators targeting platforms operated by Coinbase and Gemini, which the state claims violate state-level gambling regulations. New York has also previously pursued action against Kalshi, requiring it to halt certain sports related contracts. Federal-State Conflict Over Event Contracts Expands The…

Blockchain developer Paul Sztorc has announced plans to launch a new Bitcoin hard fork called eCash in August, introducing a competing layer-1 blockchain alongside multiple scaling solutions. According to Sztorc, Bitcoin holders will be able to exchange their BTC for eCash at a 1:1 ratio once the fork becomes active. The new chain’s node software will be a near-copy of the existing Bitcoin Core client and will continue using the SHA-256 hashing algorithm that powers the current Bitcoin network. However, the fork will start with a reduced mining difficulty, allowing participants to mine blocks more easily during the early stages…

Bitcoin is on track for its strongest monthly performance in a year, holding above $77,000 and rising about 13.6% in April. The rebound follows a difficult stretch in which crypto markets recorded their longest losing streak since 2018, with consecutive monthly declines from October through February. Recent price strength pushed Bitcoin to its highest level since early February earlier this week, though it has struggled to break the $79,000 resistance level. The broader macro backdrop has also improved, with U.S. equities staging a strong recovery. Major indexes such as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have returned to record highs…

Top holders of the Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin are expected to attend a private luncheon hosted by Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday. The event will include up to 297 memecoin investors, continuing a similar gathering held in 2025 that drew attention from political observers and ethics groups. Critics have described such gatherings as raising concerns about access to political leadership through digital asset ownership. Confirmed attendees are expected to include Paolo Ardoino, ChiHyung Song, Anthony Pompliano, and Nathan McCauley, reflecting strong participation from crypto industry leaders and financial executives. Uncertainty Around Justin Sun Appearance and Legal Dispute…

U.S. authorities have frozen $344 million in cryptocurrency linked to Iran following sanctions issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Scott Bessent announced the action on Friday, stating the move was part of broader efforts to disrupt Tehran’s ability to generate, move and repatriate funds internationally. The sanctions targeted two cryptocurrency addresses operating on the Tron network, with officials alleging ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Hizballah. Authorities said the freeze is intended to weaken financial lifelines connected to Iranian-linked organizations. Tether Freeze Coincides With Government Action The announcement followed a statement from Tether confirming it…

A major trader on Hyperliquid is drawing attention after holding a $38 million short position against Bitcoin and several altcoins. The whale, identified by wallet address 0x7fda…c517d1 and known as “BobbyBigSize,” has generated approximately $159 million in profits over the past seven months, though recent performance shows a $561,000 loss over the last 30 days. The trader previously capitalized on the October–November 2025 market crash by placing leveraged short bets on assets including Ether, Avalanche and Solana. Overall, the account has executed roughly $11 billion in trades on the platform, with about 63% of trades ending profitably, a success rate…

South Africa’s National Treasury has released draft Capital Flow Management Regulations that would bring crypto transactions under the country’s exchange control system. Published on April 17, the proposal would require crypto holders above a yet-to-be-defined threshold to declare their digital asset investments within 30 days. In certain cases, crypto purchased through authorized providers for a specific purpose would have to be sold if no longer needed for that purpose. The draft remains open for public comment until May 18 and is designed to replace the long-standing Exchange Control Regulations of 1961, marking one of the most significant overhauls of the…

The U.S. state of Tennessee has become the second jurisdiction in the country to fully ban cryptocurrency ATMs, following similar action by Indiana. Governor Bill Lee signed House Bill 2505 into law on April 13 after it passed unanimously in both legislative chambers. The measure was officially codified on Thursday and is scheduled to take effect on July 1. The law prohibits the installation and operation of virtual currency kiosks, commonly known as bitcoin ATMs, which are frequently located in gas stations, convenience stores and shopping malls. It extends liability beyond kiosk operators to include businesses that host the machines…

The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a move that could ease the confirmation process for President Donald Trump’s nominee, Kevin Warsh. The probe had focused on alleged cost overruns tied to a Federal Reserve building renovation project. Attorney General Jeanine Pirro announced that the Justice Department would transfer responsibility for the review to the Federal Reserve’s inspector general, who is expected to conduct an independent inquiry and issue a report. She noted that the department could reopen the criminal investigation if new facts emerge. Senate Confirmation Prospects Strengthen Warsh’s nomination…