Tether Proposes Merger of Twenty-One Capital, Strike and Elektron Energy Into Publicly Traded Bitcoin Giant

Metaplanet, Japan's largest corporate Bitcoin holder, issued 8 billion yen in zero-interest bonds to finance future BTC purchases for its Bitcoin treasury, with EVO Fund as the investor. Despite facing deep paper losses, the firm continues its aggressive accumulation strategy.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen eight consecutive days of inflows totaling $2.1 billion, with BlackRock's IBIT leading at $167.49 million. Bitcoin's price has risen from $68,000 to $77,000 during this streak, coinciding with the ETF activity.

Wisconsin has filed complaints against Kalshi, Coinbase, Polymarket, Robinhood, and Crypto.com, arguing that their prediction market contracts are bets, not financial instruments. The state alleges that these platforms facilitate sports betting for residents, despite claims of legality in marketing materials.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned a Cambodian senator and 28 entities for their involvement in a massive crypto scam operation. The senator, Kok An, owns resorts and casinos allegedly converted into scam centers by criminal organizations, laundering money and exploiting trafficking victims.

Fold Holdings, Inc. introduced the Bitcoin Bonus Program for companies to provide recurring BTC bonuses to employees, with Steak 'n Shake being the first to implement it for their hourly workers. The program simplifies Bitcoin incentives for traditional businesses by managing custody and compliance requirements.

Benjamin Pasternak, founder of Believe, faces criminal charges of assault and strangulation, along with civil allegations of misleading token holders and causing significant financial losses. The lawsuit accuses him of diluting token value and destroying balances, resulting in consumer losses in the millions.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, withdrew his request for a new trial and distanced his parents from legal efforts in a letter to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan. Bankman-Fried acknowledged his parents' minor editorial help with the motion.

Tether froze $344 million in USDT across two Tron addresses in compliance with U.S. authorities, marking one of its largest actions. The freeze was due to alleged links to sanctions evasion or illicit activity, with Tether working with law enforcement agencies.

Glassnode's Risk Index is at its lowest level, signaling a cleared risk landscape and a bullish regime for Bitcoin. Analysts suggest strategic accumulation during this period of improved market structure and institutional conviction.

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX, has withdrawn his retrial request due to concerns about receiving a fair hearing. He may reconsider after his direct appeal and reassignment request are resolved. The motion for a new trial, filed by his mother, cited new evidence in the case.