Wintermute CEO Accuses Near Foundation, Aurora Labs of Failing to Redeem $11.2 Million of USN Stablecoins

William Duplessie and John Woeltz were arrested in New York for allegedly kidnapping and torturing a 28-year-old Italian businessman to access his Bitcoin holdings. Beatrice Folchi, Woeltz's assistant, was also arrested but released pending further investigation. The case is part of a trend of crypto-related violent crimes.

9dcc, a luxury fashion and NFT-linked products company, will cease operations by the end of May due to economic challenges and being potentially ahead of its time in merging physical products with NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain.

The Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas attracted a diverse crowd, from new enthusiasts to seasoned veterans, all eager to connect in person. Attendees included retail investors, institutional players, and entrepreneurs like Ben Justman, who sees the event as a valuable networking opportunity within the Bitcoin community.

Square, led by Jack Dorsey, is testing a program allowing attendees to make purchases with Bitcoin by scanning a barcode. Payments are settled in near real-time via the Lighting Network, with Square handling exchange rate calculations and confirmation notifications.

Strive Asset Management secured $750 million for Bitcoin purchases through a PIPE financing arrangement, with potential to raise an additional $750 million. The firm aims to outperform other Bitcoin treasury companies by implementing innovative accumulation strategies.

Steak 'n Shake's COO Dan Edwards highlighted the benefits of accepting Bitcoin payments, citing faster transactions and lower processing fees compared to credit cards. Since introducing Bitcoin payments earlier this month, he said the company has seen a growing portion of global Bitcoin transactions taking place at its locations.

SharpLink Gaming has secured $425 million in a private investment in public equity (PIPE) offering to establish an Ethereum treasury, leading to a 400% surge in its stock price. The raise, led by Consensys, will see the company acquire Ethereum as its primary treasury asset, following a similar strategy to Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy.

Cantor's Bitcoin lending business completed its initial transactions, marking its expanding presence in the crypto sector. FalconX and Maple Finance were the first to utilize the financing, with Cantor aiming to provide up to $2 billion in this phase. The collaboration signifies progress in establishing institutional-grade credit infrastructure for digital assets.

Michael Saylor's comments at a Bitcoin conference sparked criticism as he dismissed the idea of audits, citing security risks from hackers and nation-states. Saylor, whose company holds over 567,000 Bitcoin, believes that publishing wallets poses significant vulnerabilities.

Circle, the stablecoin issuer behind USD Coin (USDC), aims to raise up to $624 million in its upcoming initial public offering. The company plans to offer 24 million shares at $24 to $26 each, targeting a $6.7 billion valuation. With big backers like ARK Investment, Circle is set to trade on the NYSE as CRCL.