CFA Report Pegs US Crypto Fraud Losses at $80.7B

Ray Dalio cautioned that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) will provide governments with extensive visibility into financial activities, potentially offering tighter control over transactions. He mentioned that CBDCs could function like money-market funds but may not be significant due to lack of interest.

AI.com, acquired for $70 million by Crypto.com's CEO Kris Marszalek, faced service outages during its Super Bowl debut. The platform aims to offer AI agents for managing tasks, but users criticized the credit card verification process before any functional tools were available.

Robinhood reported $1.28 billion in fourth-quarter revenue, a 27% increase from last year but below analysts' expectations. The company's net income dropped 33% year-over-year to $605 million, with its stock price falling 6.5% in after-hours trading.

SafeMoon CEO Braden John Karony was sentenced to 100 months in prison for defrauding investors in the SafeMoon token, ordered to forfeit $7.5 million, with victim restitution pending. Karony's defense efforts to reduce his sentence were unsuccessful, resulting in an 8-year, 4-month prison term.

Despite incurring over $5 billion in paper losses on Bitcoin purchases, Michael Saylor's firm plans to continue buying the cryptocurrency indefinitely. Saylor remains confident, stating they will not sell but continue to acquire Bitcoin every quarter.

Aave DAO initiated voting on a new conflict-of-interest policy inspired by recent internal tensions. The proposal aims to enhance transparency and accountability within the DAO by requiring disclosure of funding recipients and abstention in conflicted matters.

Sam Bankman-Fried, convicted of fraud, requested a new trial in Manhattan after firing his attorney. Representing himself, he filed for a new trial under Rule 33, claiming to have discovered new evidence.

Blockchain.com has obtained registration with the UK's Financial Conduct Authority, allowing it to offer crypto services in the country. This move provides users with increased protection and oversight of their funds under strict regulatory guidelines.

Ledn, a Cayman Islands-based firm, received a BBB- rating from S&P Global for its Bitcoin-backed loans. The rating is the best achieved by a crypto firm, surpassing others like DeFi lender Sky and Michael Saylor’s Strategy.

The Cyprus Supreme Court ruled against an Israeli couple, allowing police to open their safe deposit boxes in a €700 million crypto laundering investigation involving multiple countries. The couple's attempt to stop the search was dismissed due to evidence linking them to the laundering network.