CFA Report Pegs US Crypto Fraud Losses at $80.7B

A California-based cannabis vape pen company rewards customers with Bitcoin for using its product, raising concerns among health experts and anti-drug campaigners. The company combines cannabis, Bitcoin, and artificial intelligence to gamify cannabis use, potentially leading to habit-forming behavior.

Ethereum's core developers achieved a major milestone after a week above the Arctic Circle, finalizing a roadmap to enhance the network's scalability. The Ethereum Foundation conducted a $23 million OTC token sale to Bitmine, supporting further development efforts.

Coinbase has integrated trading protocol DFlow, reducing trade failures by eight times and increasing liquidity for previously untradeable tokens on Solana. DFlow aggregator, used by over a million traders monthly, improves trading experience by finding routes other aggregators miss.

Bitcoin's potential rally to $250,000 in 2029 is based on a historical pattern of bull runs following mining reward halving cycles. Peter Brandt's forecast suggests a bottoming process until September 2026, aligning with previous market trends.

Romance scammers are using AI-generated images of women to deceive attendees at the XRP Las Vegas conference, potentially targeting investors for crypto scams. The scammers aim to build trust through fake personas and then solicit donations or promote fraudulent investment platforms.

The Ethereum Foundation completed its third over-the-counter sale of 10,000 ETH to BitMine Immersion Technologies, following a similar transaction last week. This sale, at an average price of $2,292 per ETH, supports the Foundation's core operations and activities.

Riot Platforms achieved a significant milestone in Q1 2026, generating $33.2 million in data center revenue, marking its first quarter of income from AI infrastructure hosting. The company's stock (RIOT) rose by nearly 9% to $18.74, with a 49% increase over the last 30 days.

Ethereum exchange-traded funds experienced a four-day losing streak, losing $184 million due to geopolitical uncertainty despite Ethereum's price climbing 2.2%. Bitcoin ETFs also saw outflows of $476 million over the same period.

MoonPay has introduced the MoonAgents Card, enabling AI agents to use stablecoins for online purchases through a partnership with Monavate and Exodus. The card allows direct spending from an on-chain wallet without the need to preload funds into a custodial account.

Tether announced a profit of over $1 billion for Q1 2026, with reserves at an all-time high of $8.23 billion. The company's audit, initiated in the same quarter, revealed holdings of $141 billion in U.S. Treasuries, making it a significant global debt holder.