Cryptocurrency
US Senators Demand Apple Cut Ties With Chinese Chipmakers
A bipartisan group of six senators has issued an August 21 deadline for Apple to formally reject memory chips from Chinese suppliers CXMT and YMTC. The letter, led by Senator Jim Banks and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, warns that sourcing components from firms linked to China’s defense sector poses a significant national security risk.
Binance Resumes Philippine Operations via SEC Sandbox
After a year-long blackout, Binance has regained access across the Philippines’ major telecommunications networks. The exchange is returning not as an independent operator, but through BlockShoals Technologies, an SEC-approved intermediary currently testing its services under the regulator’s Strategic Regulatory Sandbox, known as StratBox.
Police Backing Bolsters CLARITY Act as Senate Hurdles Remain
The Major Cities Chiefs Association has officially endorsed the CLARITY Act, providing a critical boost to the crypto regulatory framework. Despite this institutional support, the bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate, with Polymarket traders pegging its chances of becoming law by 2026 at just 30 percent.
Evernorth Reworks SEC Filing as XRP Treasury Value Slides
Evernorth Holdings has moved closer to a Nasdaq listing by finalizing executive compensation packages, even as the market value of its planned $1 billion XRP treasury has shrunk to $640 million. The company’s latest SEC filing marks a key step in its merger with Armada Acquisition Corp II.
Bitcoin Nears $65K as Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears
Bitcoin climbed toward $65,000 on Thursday, finding momentum after U.S. inflation data showed cooling price pressures. While the Personal Consumption Expenditures report reduced immediate anxiety regarding Federal Reserve rate hikes, the broader market remains tethered to defensive positioning as military tensions between the United States and Iran escalate.
Fhenix and Canopy Integrate Confidential Computing for Onchain Apps
Fhenix and Canopy are embedding confidential computation directly into the Canopy Stack, allowing developers to build sovereign applications that maintain data encryption during active processing. By leveraging fully homomorphic encryption, the integration aims to replace the need for separate, complex cryptography stacks with a streamlined developer experience.
Malaysian Police Seize 73 Mining Rigs in Electricity Theft Crackdown
Police in the Batu Gajah district dismantled an illegal Bitcoin mining network Tuesday night, arresting two men following raids on three properties in Tronoh. The operation, codenamed Op Elektrik, uncovered 73 mining rigs powered by unauthorized electricity lines connected directly to the national grid.
Brad Garlinghouse joins speaker lineup for Wyoming Blockchain Symposium
Five hundred investors, policymakers, and industry leaders will gather in Jackson Hole this August as Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse joins the roster for the third annual Wyoming Blockchain Symposium. The invitation-only event, hosted by SALT and Kraken, focuses on the evolving landscape of U.S. digital asset regulation.
Hong Kong Regulator Freezes HK$125M in Futu Client Account
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has frozen HK$125.247 million in a single client account at Futu Securities International, citing an ongoing probe into suspected IPO share manipulation. The regulator emphasized that the brokerage itself is not under investigation and its broader operations remain unaffected by the order.
Bitget Wallet pivots to tokenized rewards for cardholders
Starting August 1, Bitget Wallet card users will see their purchase rewards automatically converted into Bitcoin, tokenized stocks, or gold. The new "Assetback" program replaces the platform's traditional cash-back model, pushing users toward a recurring investment strategy as they spend across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa.
Bank of Korea Advances Digital Currency with Project Agora Trials
The Bank of Korea has successfully processed live cross-border transactions using tokenized central bank reserves, marking a pivotal step in the BIS-led Project Agora. By validating payment workflows across six major currencies, the central bank is testing the viability of wholesale digital assets to replace traditional, fragmented settlement systems.
Samsung SDS pivots to stablecoin infrastructure with Dunamu partnership
South Korea’s Samsung SDS is moving beyond passive investment, leveraging its recent stake in Dunamu to build the backbone for next-generation digital finance. President Lee Joon-hee confirmed the company is actively developing stablecoin infrastructure and AI-powered payment systems, marking a shift toward deep integration with the operator of the Upbit exchange.
Aave Plans Withdrawal From Six Networks in $98 Million Cleanup
The Aave lending protocol is preparing a sweeping reduction of its footprint, targeting the closure of six blockchain deployments and the removal of 50 low-adoption asset reserves. Founder Stani Kulechov confirmed the plan on July 30, citing a need to streamline operations and phase out underperforming liquidity pools.
OpenSea CMO Adam Hollander Steps Down After 18-Month Tenure
Adam Hollander is departing his role as chief marketing officer at OpenSea after an 18-month run, citing a need to prioritize his health and family. The executive confirmed his exit in a public post this week, clarifying that he is not transitioning to another firm or seeking new employment.
China Business Journal warns of Bitcoin extortion scheme
Executives are being targeted by an impersonation campaign where scammers pose as China Business Journal reporters to solicit Bitcoin. Using Proton Mail, the perpetrators threaten to publish damaging investigative reports unless companies pay to suppress the findings, a tactic that leverages the publication’s reputation to intimidate business leaders.
Ostium Identifies Off-Chain Breach as Source of $23.75M Exploit
A $23.75 million drain from Ostium’s liquidity vault was not caused by code flaws, but by an intruder infiltrating the protocol’s off-chain infrastructure. The attacker manipulated BTC-USD price reports to fabricate trading profits, bypassing security checks while leaving the protocol’s core smart contracts entirely intact.
SEC Prepares Regulatory Pivot as CLARITY Act Stalls in Senate
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins has signaled that the agency is prepared to establish its own crypto market framework should the CLARITY Act fail to secure a Senate vote. While Atkins continues to support the legislative path, he maintains that the SEC remains ready to act unilaterally.
Australia Sues Telegram Over Failure to Remove Extremist Content
The Australian eSafety Commissioner has launched Federal Court proceedings against Telegram, alleging the platform repeatedly ignored notices to remove videos of mass shootings. If found in violation of national safety standards, the company faces civil penalties reaching A$54.6 million for failing to curb extremist material.
BitGo Deploys Quantum-Risk Controls for Institutional Bitcoin Wallets
Institutional custodian BitGo has introduced four new risk management controls designed to measure and mitigate public-key exposure in Bitcoin wallets. While current quantum computing power remains insufficient to threaten the network, these tools allow institutions to proactively manage data visibility before future cryptographic vulnerabilities materialize.
Binance.US Pivots to Prediction Markets with CFTC License Bid
Binance.US intends to apply for a Commodity Futures Trading Commission license this August to launch a regulated prediction market platform. CEO Stephen Gregory confirmed the move at the Rare Evo conference in Las Vegas, marking a aggressive effort to move beyond spot crypto trading and regain lost U.S. market share.
Visa Keeps Stablecoin Strategy Open as Open USD Launch Looms
As the Open USD stablecoin prepares for its debut, Visa CEO Ryan McInerney has signaled that the payments giant will not abandon its agnostic approach to digital assets. Despite joining a consortium of 140 companies backing the new token, Visa maintains that its infrastructure remains focused on neutral multi-chain support.
South Korea Considers Interim Rules for Stablecoins
South Korean policymakers are facing pressure to introduce interim stablecoin licensing guidance, potentially decoupling the sector from the slower legislative progress of the broader Digital Asset Basic Act. A recent policy report argues that waiting for comprehensive legislation leaves local businesses without the clarity needed to operate won-backed payment services.
U.S. Targets Iranian Maritime Insurers Over Bitcoin Payment Allegations
The U.S. Treasury Department has blacklisted two Iranian maritime insurance firms, accusing them of operating an extortion scheme that accepts Bitcoin to bypass international sanctions. While officials claim the platform supports Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps revenue, the government provided no on-chain evidence to verify specific cryptocurrency transactions or volumes.
Luno Joins Wave of Crypto Layoffs With 20% Workforce Cut
Crypto exchange Luno is cutting 20% of its global workforce, a restructuring move confirmed by CEO James Lanigan to pivot resources toward institutional and business-to-business services. The decision follows a broader industry trend that saw at least 12 crypto-related companies announce staff reductions throughout July.
Gumi and SBI Launch ¥3 Billion Crypto Fund
Starting August 1, Japanese developer Gumi and SBI Financial Services are pooling ¥3 billion to bet on Bitcoin and major altcoins. The move signals a deepening corporate commitment to digital assets, even as the partners keep specific custody details and individual investment allocations under wraps.
Ethereum Foundation Expands Board With Security Specialist
The Ethereum Foundation has appointed Pascal Caversaccio, co-founder of the emergency response service SEAL 911, to its four-member governing board. This voluntary one-year term signals a strategic shift for the organization, which is increasingly prioritizing privacy, censorship resistance, and hardened security protocols within its governance framework.
American Arbitration Association Opens Specialized Web3 Dispute Panel
When blockchain protocols, smart contracts, and autonomous transactions collide with traditional legal expectations, the American Arbitration Association is stepping in to mediate. The organization launched a dedicated Web3 panel on July 29, assembling a roster of experts to untangle the complexities of decentralized finance and digital asset ownership.
Robinhood Revenue Hits $1.31B as Prediction Markets Outpace Crypto
Robinhood Markets posted record second-quarter revenue of $1.31 billion, a 32% year-over-year surge driven by explosive growth in event contracts. While the platform’s new prediction-market offerings eclipsed its crypto transaction business, the company faces ongoing regulatory uncertainty as it pivots its revenue mix toward high-frequency trading and subscription services.
BitRiver Founder Igor Runets Jailed in Billion-Ruble Fraud Probe
A Moscow court has ordered BitRiver founder Igor Runets into pretrial detention for two months, escalating a high-stakes fraud investigation. Authorities allege that Runets’s firm, Fox Group, pocketed nearly 1 billion rubles in advance payments for cryptocurrency mining equipment that was never delivered to a subsidiary of the En+ Group.
Wisconsin Court Deals Blow to CFTC Prediction Market Oversight
A federal judge has denied the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s bid to block Wisconsin from enforcing its state gambling laws against prediction market platforms. The ruling complicates the agency’s attempt to assert exclusive federal authority over event contracts, suggesting that state regulators retain significant power to police sports betting.