Cambodia's Ruling Elite Implicated in $19 Billion Scam Industry Involving Crypto

K33, a Norway-based crypto brokerage, secured financing to purchase over 60 million Swedish krona in Bitcoin. The firm plans to issue new shares and debt to acquire the cryptocurrency, believing it will play a crucial role in the global financial system.

Vice President JD Vance addressed the Bitcoin 2025 conference, emphasizing the importance of digital assets and promising a supportive regulatory framework. Vance highlighted the need to clean up regulatory hurdles and ensure crypto's place in the mainstream economy.

The Open Network's Toncoin surged nearly 12% following reports of Telegram's potential $1.5 billion raise and a $300 million deal with Elon Musk's xAI. Telegram aims to issue 9% yield bonds, attracting interest from major investment firms like Mubadala and BlackRock.

Vitalik Buterin believes Ethereum could serve as a backup to cash in the face of centralized payment system vulnerabilities highlighted by Sweden and Norway's recent experiences. The need for resilience and privacy in Ethereum to credibly fulfill this role is emphasized.

Bergen County, New Jersey plans to migrate 370,000 property deeds worth $240 billion onto a blockchain ledger powered by Avalanche. This initiative aims to simplify and secure property records for nearly a million residents across 70 municipalities.

Conduit, a Boston-based startup founded in 2021, raised $36 million in a Series A round led by Dragonfly and Altos Ventures. The company offers real-time payments using stablecoins and traditional finance systems, helping businesses save time and money on fees.

Cork Protocol, a DeFi platform, fell victim to a smart contract exploit resulting in hackers stealing $12 million worth of wrapped staked Ethereum (wstETH). The malicious contract was deployed by a wallet funded by a service provider, leading to a quick swap for ETH. Security measures have been taken, and investigations are ongoing.

eToro has expanded its U.S. platform by adding 12 new cryptocurrencies, including Cardano, Dogecoin, XRP, and Shiba Inu, after scaling back due to regulatory constraints last year. The move follows a settlement with the SEC in 2024, allowing the addition of more assets.

GameStop has announced the purchase of 4,710 BTC, valued at around $512 million, following a recent offering of convertible senior notes. The move is likely part of the retailer's plan to establish a corporate Bitcoin treasury, inspired by the playbook of software firm Strategy.

Cardano is positioning itself as a hub for Bitcoin DeFi, with a recent on-chain transaction between Bitcoin and Cardano facilitated by BitVMX. IO introduced the Cardinal protocol at the Bitcoin 2025 conference, aiming for full integration between Bitcoin and Cardano to provide DeFi services for BTC users.