CFA Report Pegs US Crypto Fraud Losses at $80.7B

Vitalik Buterin suggests that the crypto industry may be overcomplicating the use of blockchains. He emphasizes Ethereum's role as a public bulletin board for secure, open, and censorship-resistant technology. Recent upgrades like PeerDAS aim to enhance Ethereum's capacity for storing and sharing data.

William Blair analysts believe Circle's recent stock rally is due to factors beyond oil prices and a hawkish Fed, such as USDC market cap resilience and growing appreciation of Circle's stablecoin infrastructure leadership. The bank reiterated its outperform rating, citing improving sentiment toward stablecoin infrastructure.

The Fusaka upgrade on the Ethereum network led to a significant decrease in gas fees, making transactions more affordable. However, this also resulted in a surge of address poisoning activities and subsequent losses, with stolen funds increasing post-upgrade.

Marty Bent claimed that Coinbase lobbied against a de minimis tax exemption for Bitcoin, which the company vehemently denied. Despite the denial, there is ongoing debate on Capitol Hill regarding the tax exemption for digital assets.

Cryptio, a digital asset accounting software developer, recently secured $45 million in a Series B funding round led by BlackFin Capital Partners and Sentinel Global. The platform assists companies in tracking and managing their digital assets across various storage platforms. Cryptio's clientele includes major financial institutions like Circle Internet and Société Générale's blockchain subsidiary.

BlackRock is launching the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust on Nasdaq, distributing 82% of staking rewards to investors. The trust will stake between 70-95% of its Ethereum and compete with Grayscale's offerings.

MoonPay and Exodus will provide 40 athletes with $2,500 signing bonuses in stablecoins, specifically XO Cash, through Exodus wallets. This partnership aims to support athletes internationally and reduce costs associated with training and travel.

Ark Labs, a Bitcoin infrastructure startup, secured $5.2 million in funding from Tether and Anchorage Digital to expand stablecoin activity on Bitcoin through Arkade. The company aims to enhance Bitcoin's use in supporting stablecoins and digital assets, potentially shifting the focus from networks like Ethereum and Solana.

Zhang Xinghua, a Chinese national, received a two-year jail sentence for his involvement in a $6.9 million theft from the crypto exchange SafeX. He laundered part of the proceeds through Tornado Cash, triggering a police investigation after SafeX's low-balance alarm went off in August 2025.

Ripple has initiated a tender offer to repurchase up to $750M in shares, valuing the transaction at $50B. This move is significant amid ongoing IPO discussions, with CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressing confidence in Ripple's potential to become a trillion-dollar crypto company.