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Bybit recovers liquidity levels 30 days after hack — Kaiko

The Bybit exchange has recovered its liquidity to pre-hack levels just 30 days following the February 2025 attack that drained nearly $1.5 billion in funds.

According to a report from crypto research and analytics firm Kaiko, Bitcoin's (BTC) 1% market depth, a measure of liquidity, returned to pre-hack levels of around $13 million per day in March 2025.

Bitcoin liquidity on Bybit exchange rebounds to pre-hack levels. Source: Kaiko

Altcoin liquidity levels on the exchange have been slower to recover than Bitcoin but have rebounded to around 80% of the pre-hack levels. The authors of the Kaiko report added:

"This lag is largely due to the risk-off market environment, which has impacted altcoins more severely. While Bitcoin is still seen as a risky asset, it remains the crypto market’s safe haven."

Overall, the exchange's trading volumes remain in recovery; however, the report notes that this drop reflects the broader market trend in response to the ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty that has rattled risk asset markets and is not an effect of the biggest hack in crypto history.

Altcoin liquidity on the platform has been slower to recover than Bitcoin liquidity. Source: Kaiko

Related: Hacken CEO sees ‘no shift’ in crypto security as April hacks hit $357M

Bybit recovers liquidity levels 30 days after hack — Kaiko
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Trump memecoin dinner attendees could include foreign nationals — Report

At least some of the top holders of Donald Trump’s memecoin who apply to attend a private dinner with the president could be based outside the United States.

According to a May 7 Bloomberg report based on an analysis of the top TRUMP tokenholders, 19 of the top 25 wallets on the leaderboard used foreign exchanges that exclude US-based customers, suggesting either foreign nationals or Americans living abroad. In addition, more than half of the top 220 holders — the group eligible to apply for a dinner with the president — also used exchanges in other countries.

Top 10 TRUMP memecoin holders as of May. 7. Source: Trump meme

As of May 7, the identities of the top tokenholders and those who might choose to apply for the May 22 Trump dinner and “special VIP tour” were unknown. However, the project stated that anyone who applied could not bring guests, had to pass a background check, and “can not be from a [Know Your Customer] watchlist country.” 

The implications of having dozens or hundreds of memecoin holders potentially tied to foreign governments and interest groups have raised ethics concerns from some US lawmakers, claiming that Trump was engaging in “pay-to-play” corruption. At least one senator has called for the president’s impeachment, saying Trump was “selling access for what are effectively payments directly to him.”

Memecoin concerns are slowing crypto legislation

Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Senate have already been pushing back against considering any crypto-related legislation until Republicans address concerns around “Trump’s crypto corruption.” The Senate is expected to vote on a bill regulating stablecoins on May 8, and House Republicans recently introduced a discussion draft of a digital asset market structure bill.

Trump memecoin dinner attendees could include foreign nationals — Report
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Bitcoin $1B daily realized profits signal 'late-stage bull market'

Key points:

Bitcoin investors are making the most of the highest price levels in several months by cashing out profits.

These are averaging $1 billion per day, leading to concerns that the market comeback may stall or even reverse.

Institutional participation has not led to a change in mindset, CryptoQuant says.

Bitcoin (BTC) risks a “local top or sharp correction” if current levels of profit-taking continue, new research warns.

Bitcoin $1B daily realized profits signal 'late-stage bull market'
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SocialFi has failed to take off — Here's what needs to change

Opinion by: Anurag Arjun, co-founder of Avail 

On paper, SocialFi is a no-brainer. It promises to shift the balance of power in social media — giving people control over how their content and personal data are used and monetized. It even offers users a stake in the $200+ billion social media advertising market, a pie currently devoured almost entirely by giants like Meta.

And yet, SocialFi platforms today feel more like digital ghost towns than the bustling hubs of Web2. Friend.tech, hailed as a breakout star in 2023, peaked at just 80,000 daily active users before falling below 10,000. What's holding SocialFi back? Why does it seem to be following Friend.tech's fade into obscurity rather than rising to rival Facebook's dominance?

The harsh reality is that decentralized social networks have largely failed to attract and retain mainstream users despite genuine enthusiasm from Web3 communities. The fundamental promise of user ownership, data portability, and monetization remains compelling — but deep structural issues bottleneck adoption.

The technical hurdles

Blockchain infrastructure was never designed for the high-throughput, low-latency demands of social networking. Social media users expect instant results when posting pictures, liking comments, or following new accounts — actions that generate hundreds of millions of transactions daily across platforms like Instagram, TikTok and X.

SocialFi has failed to take off — Here's what needs to change
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Safeheron introduces open-source Intel SGX TEE framework for Web3 security

Safeheron, a digital asset infrastructure provider based in Singapore, has introduced an open-source Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) framework. This solution could bolster security and privacy for Web3 in sectors like decentralized finance (DeFi), payment services, and decentralized autonomous organizations.

The TEE framework is the first built upon the native Intel SGX SDK and developed using modern C++, a general-purpose object-oriented programming language often used for operating systems, game development, and high-powered computing.

Safeheron decided to open-source the framework because the company had seen growing concerns across the industry about closed, opaque systems, especially as security incidents have become more widespread.

Related: Fully onchain AI agents can be the key to a more open AI future — Here’s why

“We’re not threatened by competitors,” Safeheron CEO Wade Wang told Cointelegraph. “What worries us is slow innovation due to closed systems.”

Safeheron introduces open-source Intel SGX TEE framework for Web3 security
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Can XRP price reach $4 in May? Analysts are watching these key levels

Key takeaways:

XRP price is up 2% on May 7, buoyed by US-China trade talk optimism, with key support at $2.08 critical for sustained recovery.

Whale accumulation signals XRP price strength.

XRP price must hold above $1.83–$2.00 support to continue upside, analysts say.

XRP (XRP) price displayed strength on May 7, rising 2% over the last 24 hours after news of possible US-China trade talks flipped investor sentiment. 

Can XRP price reach $4 in May? Analysts are watching these key levels
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Visa invests in stablecoin payment platform BVNK amid pro-crypto push

Payments behemoth Visa has invested in BVNK, a London-based startup focused on stablecoin payment infrastructure, signaling continued interest in digital asset innovation.

According to a May 7 BVNK announcement, the startup “secured a strategic investment from Visa through their Visa Ventures arm.” Furthermore, while the company does not explain fully what it entails, it refers to the investment as “more than capital” and describes it as a partnership. The company’s CEO, Jesse Hemson-Struthers, wrote:

“I’m particularly excited about what it means to partner with Visa—the original payments innovator. Their deep expertise in building global payment networks, combined with our stablecoin infrastructure, creates powerful possibilities for redefining how businesses operate in today’s digital economy.“BVNK-VISA partnership image. Source: BVNK

Rubail Birwadker, head of products and partnerships at Visa, explained that “stablecoins are fast becoming a part of global payment flows.” He said that Visa invests in new technologies and builders, such as BVNK, who are involved in “what’s next in commerce to better serve our clients and partners.”

Related: Stablecoin fever: 5 major stablecoins are growing crypto adoption

BVNK is on a roll

Visa’s investment in BVNK follows the stablecoin infrastructure company closing a $50 million Series B funding round led by Haun Ventures at the end of 2024, with plans to expand into the United States. The round saw the participation of industry heavyweights including Coinbase Ventures, Scribble Ventures, DRW VC, and existing investors Avenir and Tiger Global.

Visa invests in stablecoin payment platform BVNK amid pro-crypto push
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Blockchain ‘Baddies’ on how to bring more women into crypto

In an industry filled with complexity, jargon and mistrust, women in Web3 say that the way to attract more women into the crypto space starts with clarity, education and community. 

At the Blockchain Baddies side event during Token2049 in Dubai, women shared personal experiences of entering the Web3 world and why they believe more female participation is essential for the future of crypto.

In interviews with Cointelegraph, community members said the path forward begins with simplifying technical concepts and fostering environments where women can learn and grow.

Women in Web3 share experiences in the crypto space. Source: Cointelegraph

From providing clarity to building skills 

From simplifying technical language to creating safe spaces for learning, women in Web3 said that demystifying crypto and making tools more intuitive can unlock more opportunities for women to enter the Web3 industry. 

Caroline York, the marketing director of Web3 firm Serotonin, said that making the space more welcoming to women starts with clarity. “In order to attract more women, we’ve got to make the information much more digestible and a lot clearer,” she said.

Blockchain ‘Baddies’ on how to bring more women into crypto
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Trump-backed USD1 is now the seventh-largest stablecoin worldwide

USD1, the US dollar stablecoin launched by the President Donald Trump-backed World Liberty Financial (WLFI), has become the seventh-largest stablecoin worldwide in just two months since its launch.

WLFI’s snapshot vote for a USD1 airdrop proposal is underway, and USD1’s market capitalization has continued to climb.

Launched in early March with a $3.5 million supply, USD1 has expanded into a market cap of $2.2 billion at the time of writing, leaving rival stablecoins First Digital USD (FDUSD), PayPal USD (PYUSD) and Tether Gold (XAUT) behind, according to data from CoinGecko.

Top 10 stablecoins by market capitalization. Source: CoinGecko

Although rising fast, the USD1 market cap is still far from the market value of major stablecoins like Tether’s USDt (USDT) and USDC (USDC), whose market caps are worth $149 billion and $61 billion, respectively.

BNB Chain drives USD1 issuance

Trump-backed USD1 is almost exclusively issued on Binance-backed BNB Chain. According to data from BscScan, as much as $2.1 billion of all USD1 supply is issued on BNB Chain, accounting for more than 99% of its total circulating supply, while an Ethereum-based version accounts for just $14.5 million, according to Etherscan.

Trump-backed USD1 is now the seventh-largest stablecoin worldwide
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Crypto miner deserts Pennsylvania site, fails to plug wells: Report

Cryptocurrency miner Diversified Energy quietly vacated a natural gas-powered crypto mining site in Elk County, Pennsylvania, reportedly leaving behind unplugged wells and regulatory violations.

The site, known as Longhorn Pad A, was revived in 2022 after sitting dormant for nearly a decade when Diversified began using it to fuel on-site generators powering cryptocurrency mining computers, according to a report by the Erie Times-News.

Per the report, the operation was launched without obtaining an air quality permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Though the company was later granted the permit in December 2023, a March 2025 inspection revealed that Diversified had already removed the mining infrastructure.

Empty metallic sheds and missing production equipment led the DEP to issue a formal violation notice for well abandonment. Diversified reportedly denied that the site was abandoned, saying that it may resume gas production.

Crypto miner deserts Pennsylvania site, fails to plug wells: Report
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Bitcoin-backed loans ‘obvious’ next step — Xapo Bank CEO

Bitcoin holders are becoming more comfortable borrowing against their crypto as market confidence grows, according to Seamus Rocca, CEO of the Gibraltar-based private bank, Xapo Bank. 

In an interview at the Token2049 event in Dubai, Rocca told Cointelegraph that with Bitcoin (BTC) hovering around $95,000 and institutional adoption starting to catch on, the mood among investors has shifted from short-term speculation to a more long-term outlook. 

“I’m not sure that confidence would have been there three or four years ago,” Rocca told Cointelegraph. “But today, people are more comfortable to borrow against Bitcoin because we’re nowhere near the levels that would trigger liquidation.”

On March 18, Xapo Bank launched a lending product that allows users to borrow US dollars using their Bitcoin as collateral. With the product, qualified clients can access up to $1 million in loans while keeping their BTC.

Xapo Bank CEO Seamus Rocca at the Token2049 media lounge. Source: Cointelegraph

Bitcoin-backed loans are an “obvious” next step

Rocca told Cointelegraph that growing confidence in crypto’s long-term trajectory had fueled demand for the product. This has been driven by developments leading to broader institutional adoption. 

Bitcoin-backed loans ‘obvious’ next step — Xapo Bank CEO
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Bitcoin miner Hive taps Paraguay for low-cost energy partnership

Several crypto-focused organizations — including Bitcoin (BTC) mining companies — are eyeing a US return, primarily driven by uncertain geopolitical tensions. Still, BTC miner Hive Digital Technologies is doubling down on the untapped potential of the Latin American (LATAM) market.

In an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph, Hive Digital Technologies’ president and CEO, Aydin Kilic, said that Paraguay presents a compelling long-term opportunity equipped with “geopolitical stability, low-cost hydro energy, and a government open to foreign investment”.

Picking up from where Bitfarms left off

Hive acquired Bitfarms’ 200 megawatt (MW) Yguazú facility for $56 million in January. Phase one infrastructure of a 100 MW data center at the site was completed in April, supporting five exahashes per second (EH/s) of application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) mining.

Hive plans to expand to 300 MW of mining facilities in Paraguay in 2025. It aims to increase its hashrate to 25 EH/s by September.

Related: Bitfarms sells Paraguay site to Hive for $85M, refocuses on US

Bitcoin miner Hive taps Paraguay for low-cost energy partnership
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Inter Milan fan token soars after Champions League win over Barcelona FC

Key takeaways:

Inter Milan Fan Token jumped 10.5% after beating Barcelona, showing a direct price correlation with match outcomes.

PSG and AFC fan tokens signal breakout patterns ahead of the Champions League semifinal.

Crypto betting odds favor PSG over Inter Milan, influencing fan token trading volumes and short-term price setups.

The Inter Milan Fan Token ($INTER) rallied sharply after Inter Milan’s 4-3 victory over Barcelona FC in the Champions League semifinal on May 6, rising nearly 10.50% on match day and maintaining gains at $1.19 as of May 7.

Inter Milan fan token soars after Champions League win over Barcelona FC
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Ethereum’s ‘Pectra’ network upgrade goes live: What to expect

Ethereum — the network that unleashed smart contracts on the world — moves on to the next chapter with today’s Pectra upgrade, but what does it mean?

Pectra went live on the Ethereum mainnet at the start of epoch 364032, May 7, 2025, at about 10:00 am UTC. The three main Ethereum improvement proposals (EIPs) included are EIP-7702, EIP-7251 and EIP-7691.

Source: Ethereum.org

EIP-7702 allows externally owned accounts to act as smart contracts and cover gas expenses (transaction fees) and payments in tokens that are not Ether (ETH). EIP-7251 increases the validator staking limit from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH, which makes operations for large stakers easier and simpler.

Finally, EIP-7691 increases the number of data blobs per block, which allows for better layer-2 scalability and potentially significantly reduces transaction fees. Sergej Kunz, co-founder of Ethereum decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregator 1inch, said Pectra “introduces ‘smart account’ functionality” at deeper protocol levels and “improves Ethereum’s scalability” through layer-2 solutions.

Related: Ethereum to simplify crosschain transactions with new token standards

Ethereum’s ‘Pectra’ network upgrade goes live: What to expect
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What is Tornado Cash, and why did it get into trouble?

What is Tornado Cash?

Tornado Cash is a decentralized, non-custodial crypto mixer designed to enhance transaction privacy on public blockchains. It uses smart contracts and zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs to conceal the onchain link between the sender and receiver of a transaction.

Launched by Roman Storm and Roman Semenov on Ethereum in 2019, Tornado Cash allows users to send and receive cryptocurrency anonymously, without exposing their wallet history. Unlike centralized mixers, Tornado Cash operates entirely onchain through immutable smart contracts, meaning no central party controls the funds. 

When a user deposits crypto, such as Ether (ETH), Tornado Cash generates a cryptographic note, which the user can later use to withdraw the same amount to a different address. The protocol was launched to boost privacy in Ethereum-based transactions. Over time, the developers have expanded its functionality to support multiple Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible chains, including BNB Smart Chain (BSC), Optimism, Polygon, Arbitrum and Avalanche.

Tornado Cash supports several ERC-20 tokens and native ETH across Ethereum and other EVM-compatible blockchains. At its peak usage, Tornado Cash supported several ERC-20 tokens, including:

What is Tornado Cash, and why did it get into trouble?
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Bhutan launches tourism crypto payments with Binance Pay and DK Bank

Bhutan, known for investments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, has launched a tourism crypto payment system in partnership with Binance Pay and DK Bank.

The system allows Bhutan travelers with Binance accounts to pay for services like tickets, hotel stays, tour guides and other products using at least 100 different crypto assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), USDC (USDC) and Binance-backed BNB (BNB).

The initiative also opens a payment gateway for businesses in Bhutan, enabling them to accept crypto payments through a QR code on a phone, according to an announcement by Binance on May 7.

“This is more than a payment solution — it’s a commitment to innovation, inclusion, and convenience,” said Damcho Rinzin, director of Bhutan’s tourism department.

Benefits for small businesses in remote areas

The partnership specifically targets small businesses in Bhutan, such as vendors and rural artisans who may never have had access to card terminals or payment infrastructure.

Bhutan launches tourism crypto payments with Binance Pay and DK Bank
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Hacken CEO sees ‘no shift’ in crypto security as April hacks hit $357M

Despite the $1.4 billion lost in the recent Bybit hack, crypto companies have not changed their approach to cybersecurity, according to Hacken CEO Dyma Budorin. 

In an interview with Cointelegraph at the Token2049 event in Dubai, Budorin said the industry continues to rely on limited measures such as bug bounties and penetration tests, rather than implementing comprehensive, layered security strategies:

“Most of the projects think, ‘Okay, we did pentests. That’s enough. Maybe bug bounty. That’s enough.’ It’s not enough.”

He said that crypto companies must go beyond these isolated security measures and adopt more layered approaches similar to those of traditional industries. These include supply-chain security, operational security and blockchain-specific security assessments. 

“In big Web2 companies, this is mandatory,” Budorin added. 

Dyma Budorin at the Token2049 event in Dubai. Source: Cointelegraph

Real-time blacklisting, a step forward

While crypto security approaches remained the same, post-hack security approaches shifted slightly. Budorin told Cointelegraph there were some improvements in the crypto space’s post-hack security responses. 

Hacken CEO sees ‘no shift’ in crypto security as April hacks hit $357M
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Tether launches on Kaia, brings USDt to LINE’s 196M user ecosystem

Tether deployed its flagship stablecoin, USDt, on the Kaia blockchain as part of a broader collaboration with Line Next, the Web3 arm of Line, Japan’s popular messaging platform with more than 196 million monthly active users.

The integration means USDt (USDT) will now be supported across Line’s messenger-based Mini DApp ecosystem and self-custodial wallet, enabling users to interact with stablecoins inside an interface they already use daily, Tether said in a May 7 announcement.

Line users will be able to use USDt for in-app payments, cross-border transfers and decentralized finance (DeFi) activities.

“Through LINE NEXT’s blockchain infrastructure, over 200 million LINE users will now have a straightforward way to engage with digital assets in everyday life,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said, adding:

“Tether’s expansion to Kaia underscores its commitment to fostering stablecoin adoption across Asia and beyond.”Source: Tether

Related: Tether AI platform to support Bitcoin and USDT payments, CEO says

Tether launches on Kaia, brings USDt to LINE’s 196M user ecosystem
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Bitcoin pushes for $98K as 2025 Fed rate cut odds flip 'pessimistic'

Key points:

Bitcoin and gold trade in lockstep on low timeframes as macro volatility triggers heighten.

The Federal Reserve interest rate decision and news conference are just hours away.

Market sentiment for rate cuts in 2025 decreases sharply ahead of the FOMC meeting.

Bitcoin (BTC) saw a flash short-term trend change on May 7 as geopolitical triggers gave risk assets fresh volatility.

Bitcoin pushes for $98K as 2025 Fed rate cut odds flip 'pessimistic'
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Metaplanet reaches 5,555 Bitcoin milestone with latest 555 BTC buy

Japan’s Metaplanet purchased an additional 555 Bitcoin as part of its aggressive accumulation strategy, bringing its total holdings to 5,555 BTC, valued at over $536 million at current prices.

On May 7, the Tokyo-listed firm disclosed that it spent $53.4 million acquiring 555 Bitcoin (BTC) at an average price of $96,134. The company now holds 5,555 BTC, purchased for $481.5 million at an average price of $86,672 per Bitcoin, according to CEO Simon Gerovich.

The company also announced the issuance of another $25 million in zero-coupon ordinary bonds to fund its ongoing BTC buys. Since early 2024, the firm has raised over 35 billion yen ($244 million) through zero-coupon bonds and stock acquisition rights via its partner, Evo Fund.

The company’s proprietary key performance indicator, BTC Yield, has surged in recent quarters, reaching 309.8% in Q4 2024, 95.6% in Q1 2025, and 21% in the current quarter.

“In Japanese, the number 5 is pronounced “Go,” so today we’re shouting: Go go go go — to the moon and beyond!” Gerovich said in a post on X.

Metaplanet reaches 5,555 Bitcoin milestone with latest 555 BTC buy
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Movement Labs terminates co-founder Rushi Manche, launches new firm

Movement Labs confirmed the termination of its co-founder, Rushi Manche, following controversy over a market maker deal that he brokered.

Movement Labs made the announcement in a May 7 X post, stating it had “terminated Rushi Manche.” The project said it “will continue under a different leadership.” The post also alludes to upcoming governance changes.

The termination follows Movement Labs announcing Manche’s suspension earlier this month, explaining that the “decision was made in light of ongoing events.” It also comes after Coinbase’s recent decision to suspend the Movement Network (MOVE) token, citing its failure to meet its listing standards.

Source: Movement

Related: Movement Network to buy back tokens with $38M recovered from rogue market maker

Movement Labs launches Move Industries

In addition to terminating Manche, Movement Labs announced the launch of Move Industries, with former Movement Labs employees Torab Torabi as the firm’s CEO and Will Gaines as its chief marketing officer. “In light of recent news, we needed a clean break. Movement started with the community and our builders,“ the announcement stated.

Movement Labs terminates co-founder Rushi Manche, launches new firm
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Voltage Finance exploiter moves $182K in ETH to Tornado Cash

A hacker involved in the $4.67 million exploit of the decentralized finance lending protocol Voltage Finance in 2022 has moved some of the stolen Ether to Tornado Cash after a short hibernation. 

Blockchain security firm CertiK said in a May 6 post to X that the 100 Ether (ETH), worth $182,783 at current prices, was moved from a different address initially used in the exploit but can be traced back to the hacker.  

In March 2022, the exploiter took advantage of a “built-in callback function” in the ERC677 token standard and allowed them to drain the platform’s lending pool through a reentrancy attack, according to CertiK.

Source: CertiK

After the exploit, Voltage Finance reported that the hacker stole various stablecoins and other crypto, including USDC (USDC), Binance USD (BUSD), wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), and Ethereum tokens. 

The address used by the hacker to get the funds to Tornado Cash had been dormant since November, with the last transaction occurring 166 days ago, Etherscan data shows.

Voltage Finance exploiter moves $182K in ETH to Tornado Cash
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Bigger Bitcoin wallets are stacking while others sell: Santiment

Key takeaways:

Large Bitcoin holders have accumulated 81,338 BTC over the past six weeks, showing confidence in a future price uptrend.

Wallets with less than 0.1 BTC sold around 290 BTC, indicating smaller retail investors are either panic selling or selling out of boredom. 

Spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen $4.41 billion in inflows since March 26.

While larger Bitcoin holders remain confident and continue accumulating the asset, data from a crypto analytics platform shows that smaller retail investors have been shedding BTC amid the asset’s prolonged consolidation below the $100,000 price level.

Bigger Bitcoin wallets are stacking while others sell: Santiment
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BlackRock Bitcoin ETF clocks 16 days of inflow as BTC reclaims $97K

Investors have been piling into BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund for over three weeks straight, culminating in the asset’s run up to $97,000 on May 7.

The BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust has seen 16 days of inflows for the spot BTC ETF, with a further 280 Bitcoin (BTC) or around $36 million piling into the fund on May 6, according to HODL15Capital.  

The inflow streak was noted by ETF Store President Nate Geraci, who also observed on X that the fund was approaching $5 billion in new capital. 

“I remember when naysayers didn’t think spot Bitcoin ETFs would take in $5 billion in total last year,” he added. 

“IBIT alone has done this in a few weeks, more than a year after launch.”

The BlackRock fund (IBIT) has seen around $4.7 billion in inflows since its last outflow day on April 9.

BlackRock Bitcoin ETF clocks 16 days of inflow as BTC reclaims $97K
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South Korea presidential front-runner pledges to approve Bitcoin ETFs

South Korea’s Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has reportedly become the latest presidential candidate to promise the approval of spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other crypto-friendly measures, should he be elected.

Lee announced his crypto promises on May 6 as part of a broader initiative to provide more investment opportunities for Korea’s youth, one of the main target demographics for the fast-approaching June 3 election.

“I will create a safe investment environment so that young people can [build] assets and plan for the future,” The Korea Economic Daily (KED) quoted Lee as saying in Korean.

He also promised the legalization of spot crypto ETFs, lower transaction fees, and more consumer protection measures.

Lee’s Democratic Party of Korea is the favorite to win the presidential election with 42% support, according to a survey conducted by Korea’s National Barometer Survey between April 24 and 30. Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo, came in second at 13%.

South Korea presidential front-runner pledges to approve Bitcoin ETFs
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World Liberty Financial floats USD1 airdrop to WLFI holders

Trump family-backed crypto platform World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is proposing to airdrop a small amount of its new US dollar-pegged stablecoin to reward early WLFI holders in a test of its airdrop mechanism.

With over 99% of votes in favor of the proposal already, the airdrop will distribute a small amount of USD1 to eligible holders of the WLFI token, according to the May 6 proposal in the WLFI governance forum.

“Testing the airdrop mechanism in a live setting is a necessary step to ensure smart contract functionality and readiness. This distribution also serves as a meaningful way to thank our earliest supporters and introduce them to USD1,” the proposal states. 

“This will allow World Liberty Financial to validate the technical functionality of its airdrop system in a live environment while thanking early supporters of the project.”

Source: World Liberty Financial

The amount of USD1 is still to be determined but will be based on the total eligible wallets and budget, according to the proposal.

World Liberty Financial floats USD1 airdrop to WLFI holders
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Coinbase x402 payments protocol to make AI agents more autonomous

Coinbase has introduced a new payments protocol for online payments that enables stablecoin transfers over standard internet protocols and AI agents to transact autonomously.  

On May 6, Coinbase announced that it is launching a protocol called x402 for instant stablecoin payments directly over the internet communication protocol HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol).

It allows Application Programming Interface (APIs), apps, and AI agents to transact seamlessly, “unlocking a faster, automated internet economy,” the firm stated

Coinbase said that x402 “is fixing the internet’s first mistake.” The protocol resurrects the experimental HTTP 402 “Payment Required” status code to create a seamless payment system native to the internet.

The firm noted that traditional payment rails, such as credit cards, bank transfers and subscriptions, “were built for a pre-internet world.” 

Coinbase x402 payments protocol to make AI agents more autonomous
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Bitcoin must hold above $95K or face short-term rejection: Bitfinex

Key takeaways:

Bitcoin must maintain above $95,000 to have a chance at retesting its $109,000 all-time high; failure to hold could lead to a deeper correction, crypto analysts warn.

Several crypto analysts told Cointelegraph in March that Bitcoin may have a chance of reaching new all-time highs in June.

The upcoming Federal Reserve decision on May 7 could influence Bitcoin’s price movement over the coming days.

Bitcoin needs to continue to hold above the $95,000 level for a chance to climb back and retest its all-time high, or face an even deeper correction, crypto analysts say.

Bitcoin must hold above $95K or face short-term rejection: Bitfinex
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Zerebro dev’s death in question as ‘proof’ surfaces on X

Members of the crypto community are circulating apparent “proof” that Zerebro developer Jeffy Yu faked his suicide as he promoted his new memecoin during a Pump.fun livestream on May 4.

The belief appears to come from an unverified private letter supposedly sent by Yu to a Zerebro investor, trading activity linked to crypto wallets owned by Yu, and the removal of his obituary from Legacy.com.

Others speculate that Yu used a tool to pass off a pre-edited video as if it were filmed in real-time during the Pump.fun livestream.

Source: Hash


The unverified letter from Yu to an early investor states that he deliberately created a livestream pretending to shoot himself as it was the only “viable exit” from persistent harassment, blackmail, threats and hate crimes.

“Being fully doxxed has placed me under constant fear of robbery and physical harm. There have been numerous notable figures in the crypto community which have undergone armed robberies in their homes recently.”

Zerebro dev’s death in question as ‘proof’ surfaces on X
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Democrats aim at Trump’s crypto profits with a 3-prong pincer move

US Democrat lawmakers have launched a multi-angle attack on President Donald Trump’s crypto ventures with two bills and a subcommittee inquiry aimed at cutting his ability to profit from the initiatives.   

The Modern Emoluments and Malfeasance Enforcement Act, or the MEME Act, aims to prevent federal officials from using their position to profit from memecoins, Democrat Senator Chris Murphy said in a May 6 statement. 

If passed, the MEME Act prohibits the president, vice president, members of Congress, senior executive branch officials, their spouses and children from issuing, sponsoring, or promoting a security, future, commodity, or digital asset, according to the bill’s description. 

Today I’m introducing a bill - the MEME Act - to ban a President or Member of Congress from issuing a meme coin.

The Trump Coin is the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the White House. @RepLiccardo and I are determined to put an end to this corruption - for good. pic.twitter.com/nQL9ZfIYYV

— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) May 6, 2025

Violators could face civil penalties of up to $250,000 and be required to fork over any profits to the US Treasury. Criminal penalties could also apply, including fines and up to five years behind bars. 

Democrats aim at Trump’s crypto profits with a 3-prong pincer move
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