CFA Report Pegs US Crypto Fraud Losses at $80.7B

Vitalik Buterin advocates for Ethereum to support privacy tools, decentralized systems, and open technologies to reduce the risk of centralized control. He emphasizes the importance of creating "digital islands of stability" and a full-stack ecosystem to enhance Ethereum's role beyond finance.

The surge in Ethereum's validator queue, now at 3.4 million ETH, indicates a wave of demand for staking among institutional investors. This backlog, estimated at 60 days, reflects a defensive stance as major players lock up supply for yield.

In a study by the Bitcoin Policy Institute, 22 out of 36 AI models preferred Bitcoin over fiat currencies in various monetary scenarios. The models, from labs like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google, independently selected monetary instruments without predefined options.

Colombia's Supreme Court dismissed a cassation appeal flagged as AI-generated, but subsequent tests revealed the court's own ruling was also AI-written. Legal experts and studies question the reliability of AI-detection software in producing inconsistent results.

X's product head announced that creators sharing undisclosed AI-generated war videos will face a 90-day suspension from the revenue-sharing program. The platform aims to combat the spread of misleading content during wartime, emphasizing the importance of authentic information.

President Donald Trump accused major banks of obstructing the administration's crypto agenda, leading to a deadlock in Congress over market-structure legislation. The dispute centers on stablecoin platforms offering yield, hindering progress on the CLARITY Act.

In South Korea, individuals are using cryptocurrency to pay for intimidation tactics like vandalizing doors and spreading human waste in so-called "private revenge" attacks. Recent arrests have been made in connection to these incidents, believed to be orchestrated by a Telegram-based revenge organization.

Core Scientific plans to reduce its Bitcoin holdings to fund its shift towards AI and high-performance computing, with most sales expected in the first quarter. The company's earnings call highlighted a transition from Bitcoin mining to colocation services.

MARA, a publicly traded Bitcoin miner, disclosed in a recent SEC filing its shift in strategy to potentially sell more of its $3.6 billion Bitcoin stash to fund AI expansion. The firm sold $413 million worth of Bitcoin last year and could continue offloading this year.

Tether and the City of Lugano have launched Plan ₿ Phase II to further integrate digital assets and decentralized technologies into the city's infrastructure. This phase emphasizes structural development, technological resilience, and long-term digital sovereignty, building on the success of the original Plan ₿.