CFA Report Pegs US Crypto Fraud Losses at $80.7B

MoonPay has introduced the Open Wallet Standard (OWS) to facilitate AI agents in managing funds and executing transactions across various blockchains. OWS addresses key challenges in AI-crypto integration by collaborating with industry players like PayPal, Ethereum Foundation, and Ripple.

Bitcoin's price remains stable amidst the Middle East war, with analysts attributing its resilience to three key factors. Despite warnings of potential weakness, the cryptocurrency has shown a 7% gain since the conflict began, outperforming other assets like equities and precious metals.

OKX has introduced over 20 equity perpetual swap contracts, including major global stocks like Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple, as well as crypto-linked firms and technology stocks. The platform plans to expand its offerings to include more equity contracts and tokenized real-world assets in the future.

U.S. Treasury yields have surged due to the Iran war, impacting borrowing costs and inflation expectations. If the 10-year Treasury swap spread exceeds 60 basis points, it could lead to financial trouble.

A recent event in Bitcoin mining saw Foundry USA producing seven consecutive blocks, orphaning two blocks from AntPool and ViaBTC. This caused a temporary split in the network, with Foundry's chain becoming the heaviest and prevailing.

Hostplus, one of Australia's largest super funds, is considering offering Bitcoin and other digital assets to its members, potentially joining a small group of global pension funds embracing crypto exposure. The fund's CIO mentioned a growing demand from members for cryptocurrency access.

Balancer Labs has announced its closure following a security breach that led to reputational damage and a significant token sell-off. The exploit drained $128 million in just 30 minutes, leaving the company with ongoing legal exposure and financial pressures. Transitioning to a DAO governance model may help mitigate risks and rebuild trust.

Senator Elizabeth Warren raised concerns about Beast Industries' acquisition of Step, cautioning the company to be careful as it considers incorporating crypto into its mobile banking app for young investors. The 12-page letter focused on Step's past involvement in crypto, including promoting risky investments to teens.

Federal prosecutors have raised concerns about a letter allegedly sent by former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried from prison, suggesting it may have been shipped via FedEx from the San Francisco Bay Area. The letter requested a one-month extension and cited potential issues with access to legal materials during a transfer between prison facilities.

An individual suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland in France last year has been arrested in Spain, according to a local news report. The apprehended person is believed to be the final outstanding perpetrator from the January 2025 attack.