CFA Report Pegs US Crypto Fraud Losses at $80.7B

Coinme, a Bitcoin ATM operator, has been ordered by Washington state regulators to cease operations and repay over $8 million in unclaimed customer funds. The company allegedly treated unredeemed vouchers as income, violating money-transmission rules, and faces potential license revocation and fines.

Two Ukrainian nationals were arrested by Austrian police for the torture and murder of a 21-year-old student found burned in his Mercedes with his crypto wallet emptied. The suspects, apprehended in Ukraine, will not be extradited as the case is now with Ukrainian authorities.

Ethereum's Fusaka upgrade, activated at block height 18,200,000, introduces changes to data availability and block capacity, marking the network's second major upgrade this year. The upgrade includes PeerDAS for data availability sampling and Blob-Parameter-Only configuration changes to increase blob capacity.

Bitcoin investors are on edge as over $6 billion in positions face liquidation risk based on price movements. Market conditions suggest a potential short squeeze scenario, with traders short-covering rather than becoming bullish, as indicated by declining open interest in derivatives contracts.

Robinhood, Crypto.com, and Kalshi have been ordered by Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection to cease operations due to unlicensed online sports gambling activities. The department warned of potential penalties for noncompliance under state gaming laws.

Researchers discovered an unpatchable flaw in MediaTek's Dimensity 7300 chip, allowing full device control through electromagnetic attacks on the boot ROM. Ledger's report highlights the vulnerability, emphasizing the need for secure-element chips in self-custody scenarios.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has warned issuers of high-leveraged exchange-traded funds, including proposed crypto ETFs, due to concerns over potential risks. The regulator has halted the review of these funds until issuers address the concerns raised in the letters sent on Tuesday.

Concerns about the potential collapse of Strategy's Bitcoin treasury strategy have risen due to recent bearish news, including the possibility of being removed from stock indices and the acknowledgment that Bitcoin may need to be sold for the first time. Observers warn that no entity would rescue Strategy in case of a failure.

American Bitcoin shares recovered slightly after a lockup period ended for certain investors, causing a 35% drop from Monday's closing price. The company sold 159 million shares for $220 million in a private placement, with more shares becoming tradable soon.

Predictions for 2026 highlight the increasing integration of blockchain with AI, the rise of premium human content for trust, and the shift towards marketing to AI agents. Companies are adapting to the rapid technological advancements by targeting intelligent agents and implementing AI ethics.