Decentral Block Post

Brokerage fintech Robinhood is set to acquire WonderFi, a Canadian crypto firm, for about 250 million Canadian dollars ($179 million) in an all-cash deal to expand its global presence.

The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2025, Robinhood said in a May 13 news release.

WonderFi operates two of Canada’s longest-standing regulated crypto trading platforms, Bitbuy and Coinsquare, managing over 2.1 billion Canadian dollars in assets under custody. These platforms offer crypto trading, staking and custody services.

“WonderFi has built a formidable family of brands serving beginner and advanced crypto users alike, making them an ideal partner to accelerate Robinhood’s mission in Canada,” said Johann Kerbrat, senior vice president and general manager of Robinhood Crypto.

Under the terms of the deal, Robinhood will acquire all outstanding WonderFi shares at 0.36 Canadian dollars per share — a 41% premium over WonderFi’s last closing price on the Toronto Stock Exchange and a 71% premium over its 30-day volume-weighted average price.

Key takeaways:

XRP price has risen 55% since April and is now flashing bullish continuation signals.

Whale flows have flipped positive for the first time since November 2024, historically signaling trend reversals.

A falling wedge breakout projects 40% gains ahead, but $2.80 may act as interim resistance.

XRP (XRP) has bounced by more than 55% since forming a local bottom at around $1.61 in April. It now signals a further price surge owing to bullish technical patterns and onchain data.

Update (May 13, 1:00 pm UTC): This article has been updated to add third-party commentary from Robert Roose.

Web3 and privacy-focused web browser Brave Browser has integrated the Cardano blockchain into its native and standalone wallets.

According to a May 12 announcement, the integration stems from a partnership between Brave Browser and Cardano development firm Input Output. Together, the two firms “will integrate Cardano into the Brave Wallet, enabling Cardano blockchain access and token management.” Brendan Eich, co-founder and CEO of Brave and the Basic Attention Token (BAT), said:

Eich said that Brave focuses on maximizing user choice while providing tools to engage with decentralized ecosystems. With this integration, users of the Web3 browser and standalone wallet will gain direct access to Cardano’s blockchain without leaving the interfaces.

Brave had not responded to Cointelegraph’s request for comment by publication.

Bitcoin defied expectations in April, delivering double-digit gains while posting lower volatility than major traditional assets.

According to analysts at Galaxy Digital, Bitcoin’s (BTC) realized volatility over the past 10 trading sessions dropped to 43.86, lower than the S&P 500’s 47.29 and the Nasdaq 100’s 51.26 — an unusual “positioning for a digital asset traditionally known for its outsized volatility.”

The data point comes against a backdrop of renewed financial turbulence. Since US President Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariff announcement on April 2, traditional markets have wobbled.

The Nasdaq Composite is flat, the Bloomberg Dollar Index fell nearly 4%, and even gold (typically a safe haven) briefly hit $3,500 per ounce before pulling back to a 5.75% gain, Galaxy Digital analysts wrote in a May 12 note.

However, they noted that Bitcoin surged 11% over the same period, reinforcing its evolving role as a macro hedge amid geopolitical and fiscal uncertainty.

Solana Labs co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko proposed a new data availability (DA) solution to improve persistent fragmentation and lack of interoperability across blockchain networks.

In a May 12 post on X, Yakovenko proposed a “meta blockchain” to aggregate and order data posted across multiple layer-1 chains, including Ethereum, Celestia and Solana.

“This would actually allow the meta chain to use the cheapest currently available DA offer,” Yakovenko said.

Data availability layers are third-party solutions ensuring that blockchains have the necessary data to validate transactions.

Blockchain interoperability is one of the most pressing issues for Web3 developers, since today’s siloed layer-1 (L1) blockchain networks have no means of communicating or exchanging data, creating a need for crosschain interoperability solutions like DA layers.

Dubai, UAE – May 2025 — TheBlock., the International Chamber of Virtual Assets, has announced a strategic partnership with Cointelegraph, the world’s leading Web3 media platform. The collaboration brings together two major players in the blockchain and virtual asset space, with the shared goal of amplifying the global adoption of tokenisation, advancing regulatory dialogue, and supporting builders entering the MENA region.

The agreement, signed during Token2049 Dubai, highlights Cointelegraph’s growing collaboration with key players in the UAE. This new partnership will foster deeper collaboration and mutual support across TheBlock’s ecosystem.

As part of the collaboration, Cointelegraph will set up a presence at TheBlock’s headquarters in Dubai World Trade Center, offering opportunities for engagement with founders, partners, and clients within the ecosystem. The partnership also includes joint participation in educational panels, roundtables, and summits focused on real-world assets (RWAs), compliance, and capital allocation.

“This partnership is not just about media,” said Farbod Sadeghian, Founder of TheBlock. “It is about building an access layer for the global virtual asset economy. By working with Cointelegraph, we are strengthening how the industry connects, informs, and grows — from regulatory frameworks to investment pipelines.”

Cointelegraph will engage with TheBlock’s ecosystem through media coverage, speaker participation, and collaborative events. The partnership reflects ongoing efforts to support the growth of Dubai’s virtual asset sector, where regulatory developments and real-world applications continue to evolve.

“The partnership reflects Cointelegraph’s ongoing efforts to broaden its network of like-minded collaborators, all working toward the shared goal of strengthening and advancing the ecosystem,” said Yana Prikhodchenko, CEO of Cointelegraph. “We aim to grow the community by leveraging this partnership while also expanding our regional presence in the UAE. This collaboration will help strengthen both efforts.”

Tether, issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin, USDt, is rolling out its tokenized gold digital asset in Thailand with a listing on local cryptocurrency exchange Maxbit.

In a May 13 announcement, Tether said its gold-backed token, Tether Gold (XAUt), has been listed on Thai exchange Maxbit.

According to an X announcement by Maxbit, the platform is the first in Thailand to offer a “tokenized gold pair backed by physical gold.”

Launched in January 2020, Tether Gold is a gold-backed digital asset with a market cap of $802 million, with each XAUt representing ownership of one troy ounce of gold.

Thailand greenlighted stablecoins like Tether USDt in March

Tether Gold’s entrance in the Thai cryptocurrency market follows other notable stablecoin-related regulatory developments in the country.

GD Culture Group (GDC), a Nasdaq-listed holding company focused on livestreaming, e-commerce and artificial intelligence-powered digital human technology, plans to raise up to $300 million for a cryptocurrency treasury reserve.

In a May 12 statement, GDC and its subsidiary, AI Catalysis, announced entering into a common stock purchase agreement with a British Virgin Islands limited liability company to sell up to $300 million of its common stock.

The proceeds from the stock sale will be used to fund the firm’s crypto treasury, which will include purchases of Bitcoin (BTC) and the Official Trump (TRUMP) token.

“Under this initiative, and subject to certain limitations, GDC intends to allocate a significant portion of the proceeds from any share sales under the facility to the acquisition, long-term holding, and integration of crypto assets into its core treasury operations,” the company said in the announcement. 

GDC described the strategy as a move to align with the broader “decentralization transformation.”

Key points:

Bitcoin has seen its largest 30-day illiquid supply increase of the current bull market.

Illiquid supply now stands at 14 million BTC, more than ever before.

Whales are still accumulating as the price returns to six figures.

Bitcoin (BTC) investors are turning the BTC supply more illiquid than at any point in its history

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed two key cryptocurrency-related bills that aimed to expand the state’s involvement in digital assets while signing a strict regulatory measure targeting Bitcoin ATMs.

On May 12, Hobbs rejected Senate Bill 1373, which sought to establish a Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund. The fund would have allowed Arizona to hold crypto assets obtained through seizures or legislative allocations.

“Current volatility in cryptocurrency markets does not make a prudent fit for general fund dollars,” she stated in her veto letter. “I have already signed legislation this session which allows the state to utilize cryptocurrency without placing general fund dollars at risk,” she added.

That decision followed her veto of Senate Bill 1025 — the more ambitious “Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act” — on May 3. It would have authorized up to 10% of the state’s treasury and retirement funds to be invested in Bitcoin and other digital assets.

According to data from bitcoinlaws.io, 26 US states have introduced strategic crypto reserve bills, with 18 of them currently active.

Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands is preparing for a potential listing in New York, citing US President Donald Trump’s relaxed regulatory stance on digital assets as a window of opportunity to enter the world’s largest capital market.

Animoca executive chair Yat Siu told the Financial Times that an announcement could be made soon, with the company currently evaluating various shareholding structures.

Siu said the decision to pursue a US listing would not hinge on market conditions but rather on timing and strategic positioning.

Animoca, which was delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange in 2020 over governance concerns and the status of some cryptocurrencies, has since built a robust investment portfolio, including stakes in OpenSea, Kraken and Consensys.

The company reported unaudited earnings of $97 million from $314 million in revenue for the year ending December 2024, a sharp increase from the previous year.

Australia’s crypto industry has expressed positivity after the recently reelected government named pro-crypto politician Andrew Charlton as assistant minister for the digital economy, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Canberra during a May 12 press conference that Charlton would be the new assistant minister for science, technology and the digital economy, working with Tim Ayres, the minister for industry and innovation. 

Ayres and Charlton will administer policies and programs promoting advancements in emerging technologies, science, technology, innovation and the digital economy, according to Albanese. 

Charlton has shown strong support for the industry in the past. During a speech to parliament last November, he pushed for a balanced regulatory framework that encouraged industry growth.

Cryptocurrency is shaping the future of finance. Governments must support a balanced framework that encourages growth while ensuring security and trust. Let’s embrace the opportunities of a digital economy! #Cryptocurrency #Innovation @DECAustralia pic.twitter.com/av8L2DA72g

The lawyer for a group of Caitlyn Jenner memecoin buyers said they will continue their legal fight against the ex-Olympian after a judge threw out the case for failing to adequately support the securities and fraud claims it brought.

Jenner had escaped a class-action lawsuit from buyers of her self-titled memecoin, Caitlyn Jenner (JENNER) after California District Court Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. said in a motion filed on May 9 that it was “sufficient to conclude that all nine causes of action are deficient” and sided with Jenner in dismissing the suit in its entirety for failure to state a claim.

He allowed the class group to amend its suit, which must be filed by May 23, but warned it had “to be more focused and judiciously pleaded” than the original.

A lawyer for the class group, Fitzgerald Monroe Flynn PC partner Jack Fitzgerald, told Cointelegraph it was “pleased the Court recognized we may be able to state some claims against the defendants, and intend to amend and press forward with the case.”

Jenner and her manager, Sophia Hutchins, were sued in November by a group that bought the JENNER token and accused them of having “fraudulently solicited financially unsophisticated investors” to the token, which they alleged was an unregistered security.

A British High Court has issued a restraining order against computer scientist Craig Wright preventing him from filing further defamation suits. 

In a May 12 judgment, High Court Judge Edward Mellor said Wright’s repeated false claims and aggressive legal actions created legal “hell” for individuals and developers in the Bitcoin (BTC) community, adding that Wright sought to “weaponise legal systems” to intimidate and silence critics.

His lawsuits forced people into costly and time-consuming legal defenses, often based on fabricated evidence, the judge added as he handed out a General Civil Restraint Order or injunction against Wright, prohibiting him from filing any more civil claims or applications in the High Court. 

The court highlighted how this strategy was part of a pattern of abusing the legal system to assert false claims of being Satoshi Nakamoto.

“It is apparent that Dr Wright had substantial financial backing from the start of his campaign, and his defamation claims were deliberately unequal battles,” said Judge Mellor.  

Truth Social, the social media network owned by Trump Media, has denied it is launching a memecoin following circulating rumors on social media.

“Contrary to rumors, Truth Social is not launching a memecoin,” the official Truth Social account posted on its platform. The social media platform is owned by the Trump Media & Technology Group, with US President Donald Trump owning a majority stake in the company.

“There’s no truth whatsoever about Truth Social launching a memecoin. Don’t be fooled by false information people are circulating,” Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, stated on X.

The rumors started circulating after influencer Ran Neuner, who hosts the Crypto Banter podcast, tweeted that a Truth Social token will be launched within the next 72 hours and that it appears to be backed by a similar team involved with the launch of the TRUMP token.

Cointelegraph reached out to Neuner to find out more about the source of the claim, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Eric Council Jr., the SIM swap hacker who helped compromise the Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account last year, made $50,000 performing similar attacks and even searched how to tell if the FBI is investigating him, recent filings show.

The recent filing was part of the prosecutor’s request to sentence him to two years in prison over his role in the hack, which saw the SEC X account publish a false announcement that a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund was approved, shaking up the markets. 

Council searched: “How can I know for sure if I am being investigated by the FBI” and “How long does it take to delete Telegram account,” US prosecutors discovered following a search warrant of his house, car and devices last June, according to a May 12 court filing.

While Council’s Telegram chats were set up to be removed after two weeks, US prosecutors still found chats of Council discussing SIM swaps with others believed to be located overseas.

Council also admitted to law enforcement that he received around $50,000 for performing SIM swaps for clients between January to June 2024. He advertised himself as a SIM swapping expert on Telegram under the username easymunny, offering services for payment between $1,200 and $1,500.

The government of Dubai has signed an agreement with crypto exchange Crypto.com to launch crypto payments for government services. 

The agreement, formalized during the Dubai fintech Summit on May 12, is part of Dubai’s cashless strategy, which hopes to foster the city’s transition to “a fully digital, cashless society,” by introducing “a new digital payment channel across its official platforms,” the Dubai Department of Finance (DOF) said on May 12.

Once the service goes live, individuals and business customers of government entities can pay service fees with crypto through Crypto.com’s digital wallets. The payments will be converted into dirhams and transferred to DOF accounts, according to the DOF.

Amna Mohammed Lootah, director of digital payment systems regulation, stated that Dubai’s plan is for 90% of financial transactions across the public and private sectors to be powered through cashless methods by 2026.

“We are confident that this milestone will significantly accelerate the advancement of the Dubai Cashless Strategy,” she said. 

Corporations and businesses are the largest net buyers of Bitcoin so far this year, outpacing exchange-traded funds and retail investors, according to new research. 

Firms such as Michael Saylor’s Strategy have bought more Bitcoin (BTC) this year than any other category of investor, with overall corporate holdings growth totalling 157,000 BTC, worth around $16 billion at current prices, according to Bitcoin investment firm River. 

Strategy makes up 77% of the group's growth, the firm reported on X on May 12, before adding that it's not just big companies.

“We’re seeing businesses across all industries sign up to River. They’re aligned with Bitcoin and how it can change their future,” the firm noted.  

The next largest category after corporations was ETFs, which have grown their net Bitcoin by 49,000 BTC, or $5 billion worth, reported River. Following that were governments with around 19,000 BTC in growth, and retail traders or individuals had seen a decline of 247,000 in Bitcoin holdings this year, it reported. 

The X account of the Ethereum layer 2 network ZKsync and its developer Matter Labs were compromised early on May 13, with hackers falsely claiming the network was being probed by US authorities, among other scam messages.

A ZKsync-related X account posted on May 13, confirming the accounts for ZKsync and Matter Labs were compromised, warning users not to interact after the accounts shared links to a fake airdrop in an apparent phishing scam.

The hacked ZKsync and Matter Labs then both posted a fake statement claiming ZKsync was under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and that the Treasury Department could impose sanctions on the platform.

Matter Labs communications head Lynnette Nolan confirmed to Cointelegraph that the now-deleted X post “is not legit” and both accounts are now “fully back in the control of the team.”

“Shoutout to the zksync hackers. Instead of dropping a token and stealing a few bucks they decided to scare the living shit out of onchain degens,” crypto startup g8keep co-founder Harrison Leggio, who goes by “Pop Punk,” posted to X.