United States Attorney Damian Williams and FBI Assistant Director James Smith announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Idin Dalpour with wire fraud concerning a multi-year crypto Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of at least $43 million. Wire Fraud Indictment Unveils $43M Ponzi Scheme The indictment alleges that from approximately 2020 to April 2024, Dalpour […]
Layer 2 (L2) blockchain Eclipse and developer-oriented bridge Neon EVM have formed a new collaboration to implement changes in the blockchain landscape, increasing interoperability and scalability with the integration of Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL). Aiming to combine the capabilities of both blockchains, Eclipse has consolidated the compatibility between the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) by deploying Neon Stack. Solana And Ethereum Integration The primary objective of this collaboration is to integrate Solana’s transaction handling capabilities, which can process thousands of transactions per second, into Ethereum. Related Reading: Ripple Unlocks 1 Billion XRP From Escrow – How Will This Impact Price? This integration will be facilitated by Neon Stack, a standardized development stack that enables smart contract developers to achieve Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility on Solana Virtual Machine-based blockchain networks. Eclipse plans to leverage Neon Stack on its SVM L2 to facilitate this integration. The Neon Stack consists of Neon EVM smart contracts and Neon Proxy. It has been live on the Solana mainnet since July 2023. It has deployed numerous Ethereum-native Solidity decentralized applications (dApps), including decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, and decentralized exchanges (DEXs), on Solana from its existing codebase. Neon EVM-Eclipse Partnership For Cross-Chain Development Davide Menegaldo, Chief Commercial Officer (COO) of Neon EVM, expressed enthusiasm for Neon Stack and the collaboration, stating: With Neon Stack, we are paving the way for high-performance, scalable dApps infrastructure that transcends the limitations of traditional blockchain architectures and redefines computational efficiency. We are pleased to see Eclipse as the first industry partner to utilize the Neon Stack. On the other hand, Neel Somani, founder of Eclipse Labs, the company behind the development of the Layer 2 blockchain, also emphasized the importance of the partnership, saying: Our collaboration with Neon Stack enables developers to seamlessly deploy their dApps from EVM chains to Eclipse, further strengthening the harmonization between Solana and Ethereum. Solidity developers who wish to build on a high-performance L2 that leverages the strengths of the SVM can finally do so.” Interestingly, the Ethereum ecosystem hosts over 13,000 dApps, with only a small fraction, 0.4%, cross-chained with Solana. This collaboration between Neon EVM and Eclipse could also provide further opportunities for developers to build new dApps with the new integration. Related Reading: Whales Dive In, But Dogecoin Price Sinks 20%: What’s Going On? In sum, it is believed that developers will be able to build advanced dApps that leverage the features of Ethereum and Solana, along with their respective native ecosystems and virtual machines, by leveraging the design of the NEON Stack and Eclipse. As of the current update, the native token of NEON EVM, NEON, is trading at $1.0135. It has shown a 2.6% recovery over the past 24 hours, aligning with the overall positive movement in the cryptocurrency market. However, during the past 7 days, the token has witnessed a price decline, experiencing a nearly 8% drop. Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com
The hacker holds about $4.3 million in various crypto assets in their Ethereum wallet.
In the face of growing global regulatory pressure on the crypto industry, the Biden administration’s intensified crackdown and the actions of regulatory bodies have prompted Senator Cynthia Lummis to issue a strong statement against the US government’s stance on the industry. Senator Lummis, a prominent supporter of Bitcoin and the overall crypto market, has advocated […]
Aave Labs has released its strategic roadmap for 2030 that introduces several key initiatives, including the launch of Aave V4, a new visual identity, and expanded DeFi functionalities. The “Temp Check” proposal aims to gather the Aave community’s feedback on the proposed enhancements to advance the Aave protocol. Aave V4 At the heart of the […]
The post Aave proposes upgrade to v4 in strategic 2030 roadmap appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Much-hyped restaking project EigenLayer's 43-page whitepaper about its now-revealed EIGEN token has raised lots of questions. They may not matter initially, because much of the promised functionality won't be ready when the token launches.
Russian lawmakers have announced their intention to introduce restrictions on the circulation of crypto assets, which could be implemented as early as September 1. The Chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market, Anatoly Aksakov, revealed that a vote on a ban on organizing cryptocurrency circulation will be held in the coming weeks. […]
Reaching out to combat potential fraud, from one layer-2 to another.
Uniswap, one of the world’s largest decentralized exchanges (DEX) by total value locked (TVL), is approaching a major milestone on Arbitrum, the largest layer-2 by TVL on Ethereum. According to data from Dune Analytics shared by Uniswap Labs, Uniswap on Arbitrum is on the cusp of surpassing a staggering $150 billion in total swap volume. Riding The DeFi Boom As of April 25, Uniswap had facilitated over $146 billion in cumulative swap volume on Arbitrum alone. The number has gradually increased over the past three years since June 2021, when it was deployed on Arbitrum, looking at on-chain data. By August 2021, Uniswap was processing less than $5,000 in swap volume. After that, they steadily picked up momentum throughout the crypto bear run of 2022. Notably, a sharp uptick from October 2023 coincided with the start of the crypto boom that eventually propelled Ethereum to over $4,000 in Q1 2024. Related Reading: HBAR Prices Crashes 35% As BlackRock Denies Any Ties To Hedera The rising swap volume on Arbitrum reflects the increasing preference for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) solutions. As Uniswap on Arbitrum nears $150 billion, more users are increasingly turning to the popular DEX to trade, all without giving up control of their assets. The surging popularity of Uniswap on Arbitrum can be partly attributed to significantly lower transaction fees compared to the Ethereum mainnet. Through Arbitrum, the optimistic roll-up solution, swappers enjoy low transaction fees. They can also trade from a scalable environment secured by the Ethereum mainnet. Ethereum developers recently implemented Dencun, introducing a new transaction format called “blobs.” Because of this, layer-2 solutions can store large chunks of data off-chain, reducing the mainnet bloat. Subsequently, fees have been lowered, drastically enhancing the user experience for Arbitrum and other layer-2 users like Base and Optimism. Uniswap V4 And United States Wells Notice Following Dencun’s activation, Uniswap Labs plans to deploy v4. This iteration introduces features like Hooks that developers say will make the DEX even more efficient and flexible. The launch is set for this year. Though Uniswap V4 is huge for the DEX and DeFi as a whole, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ‘s decision to issue a Wells notice is a setback. Related Reading: SEC Anticipated To Reject Spot Ethereum ETFs In Upcoming Decision, ETH Price Takes 5% Hit The regulator intends to sue. However, the founder, Hayden Adams, responded in a post on X that they are ready to fight. Feature image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView
In a Brooklyn federal court, a crypto-influencer on social media sites such as Instagram, Jebara Igbara, also known as “Jay Mazini,” was sentenced to 84 months for wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering. According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Igbara’s schemes resulted in substantial financial […]
In a surprising turn of events, the native token of the decentralized ledger platform Hedera, HBAR, experienced a significant price surge of over 100% during the early hours of Tuesday. Starting from a low of $0.0875, HBAR skyrocketed to reach the $0.1821 mark by Wednesday. The sudden surge was triggered by the news of BlackRock’s tokenized fund, BUIDL, which generated high expectations among HBAR investors regarding a potential collaboration between the prominent asset manager and the Hedera protocol. Not Directly Connected To Hedera? Launched by BlackRock in March 2024, BUIDL operates as a tokenized fund on the Ethereum blockchain, providing US dollar yields through tokenization. Related Reading: Newbie Bitcoin Whales Hold 2x As Much As Veterans: What’s Behind This Trend? Initially, an announcement led to confusion among investors, who mistakenly believed that BlackRock would directly tokenize the fund on the Hedera network. This misunderstanding triggered a significant surge in the HBAR price. Upon closer examination of the announcement, it became clear that BlackRock and Hedera had no direct connection, although the initial reaction to the news was noteworthy. Crypto analysts, who use the pseudonym “CrediBull” on social media site X (formerly Twitter), shed light on the situation, emphasizing that explicit permission from BlackRock was unnecessary to list tokenized versions of their funds. It was not a deliberate decision by BlackRock to tokenize on Hedera; rather, an existing platform on the network took the liberty of tokenizing one of BlackRock’s funds. However, for the analyst, the fact that a platform on Hedera was among the first to tokenize a BlackRock fund reflects the platform’s leadership in the space. Analyst Clarifies Misconception Further examination reveals that Archax, the company behind the tokenized BlackRock fund on Hedera, is a portfolio company of ABRDN Investments, the largest asset manager in the UK, with approximately $500 billion in assets under management (AUM). Additionally, CrediBull emphasizes that BlackRock happens to be the fourth-largest shareholder of ABRDN. Notably, around ten months ago, Archax tokenized one of ABRDN’s money market funds, preceding their launch of the BlackRock fund. An interview by the Head of Digital Assets at ABRDN clarifies their involvement in the tokenization process on Archax. A “distribution agreement” was signed permitting the tokenization to proceed. If a similar agreement were reached with BlackRock, it would imply the asset manager’s endorsement of the product. Related Reading: Analysts Identify Key Scenario For Bitcoin Hitting $100,000 Ultimately, the interview with the head of digital assets at ABRDN underscores the fact that significant players are utilizing and contributing to the growth of Hedera behind the scenes. Following the clarification of the situation, the price of HBAR has retraced to $0.1199. Nevertheless, it remains up 8% over the past 24 hours and has recorded an impressive gain of nearly 60% in the past seven days. CoinGecko data highlights a substantial surge in HBAR’s trading volume, which has increased by over 1,100% in the past few days. This surge in trading volume indicates the widespread confusion sparked by the initial news announcement. Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com
In a major development, the co-founders of Samourai Wallet, Keonne Rodriguez, and William Lonergan Hill, were arrested by US authorities on charges of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The duo allegedly facilitated the laundering of over $100 million in criminal proceeds, including funds originating from the Silk Road and […]
Renzo’s liquid restaking token (LRT), ezETH, experienced a significant depegging event that liquidated millions from “loopers” using the token as collateral on leverage protocols like Gearbox. According to data from CoinMarketCap, the digital asset’s value plunged to a low of $2,755 before recovering to its current level of $3,178 as of press time. Notably, decentralized […]
The post Renzo’s ezETH token depeg triggers liquidations across DeFi platforms appeared first on CryptoSlate.
The products check decentralized applications across 40+ blockchains via WalletConnect, Fireblocks’ browser extension, and MetaMask Institutional.
Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox has reportedly begun repaying its users, providing a glimmer of hope for those affected by the exchange’s infamous hack over a decade ago. The trustee of Mt. Gox confirmed the verification process for eligible repayment clients three months ago, and now users are seeing actual payments being made. However, the repayment […]
Cryptocurrency casino ZKasino went live over the weekend but the launch was met with dismay from investors, who are calling foul on the company for sending $33 million worth of user deposits to staking platform Lido.
Injective Protocol, a blockchain for decentralized finance (DeFi) and derivatives trading, is voting on a proposal to significantly reshape the platform’s tokenomics and introduce a new era dubbed Injective 3.0. According to Injective, through a post on April 19, the proposal is now open for voting via the Injective Hub. For the next four days, stakers and validators are free to participate. Community Voting On Injective 3.0 Over the months since launching in 2023, Injective caught the crypto community’s attention. The team aims to launch a platform for users to launch DeFi-focused protocols in a low-cost, scalable, and yet Ethereum-compatible environment. Though INJ, the native currency of the platform, remains one of the top performers, changes introduced by Injective 3.0 will likely push prices even higher. According to developers, Injective 3.0 aims to make INJ a deflationary asset. A big part of this will be to reduce token minting by controlling the rate of token creation. If the community approves what’s laid out in the proposal, the team will change on-chain parameters to slow down token minting. Related Reading: Crypto Expert Predicts A Narrative Shift Post-Bitcoin Halving At the same time, Injective 3.0 plans to make INJ’s inflation rate more responsive to staking. Under this model, inflation will slow down as more INJ is locked away via staking, making the coin scarcer. Proposers predict the network to be more robust and secure if INJ becomes more deflationary. Usually, token prices of scarce assets tend to be higher. However, it should be noted that changes to tokenomics don’t immediately lead to favorable price repricing. For prices to soar, there must be utility, driven mainly by community interest. Millions Of INJ Burned, Will Prices Break $30? Injective 2.0 is currently live following its activation in August 2023. Under the current regime, there is a token auction burn, where decentralized applications (dapps) running on the platform are free to participate in token burning. According to the Injective Protocol, over 5.9 million INJ have been withdrawn. So far, INJ remains under pressure, sliding down, shedding 50% from March 2024 highs. The coin has been moving horizontally in the past few trading sessions. However, it is under immense selling and within the April 12 bear bar. Related Reading: Bitcoin Halving Could Catalyzed $100,000 Price Surge: Bitwise CEO The level at $30 is a crucial resistance level. Conversely, if INJ prices dip below this week’s lows at $23, the coin will slip towards April 13 lows of around $18. Feature image from Canva, chart from TradingView
The Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem displayed a stellar growth in 2024, and Mark Hendrickson believes this sector is here to stay.
The post ‘Bitcoin has as many functionalities as other blockchains’: Trust Machines member weights in Bitcoin DeFi appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
DeFi and Web3 gaming led blockchain Q1 growth with a surge in daily transactions and active addresses, signaling a vibrant start to 2024
The post DeFi and Web3 gaming dominate blockchain industry in Q1 appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
CFG, the protocol's native token, spiked as much as 14% after the announcement before paring gains and outperformed other DeFi tokens.
The firm has received a commitment of $75 million in total value locked for the launch of its stablecoin USD0.
Solana's DePIN io.net discloses IO tokenomics with a 20-year inflation plan and token burn mechanism to regulate its digital economy.
The post Solana DePIN io.net announces tokenomics with inflation model and burn mechanism appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Asset manager Blackrock has emerged as the frontrunner in the Bitcoin ETF race in terms of inflows with its IBIT ETF, which is increasingly attracting institutions’ attention as a key development showing its success. Many fund managers have flocked to invest in BlackRock’s ETF, signaling a growing interest in digital assets among traditional financial institutions. […]
A US court has sentenced Shakeeb Ahmed to three years in prison for hacking two separate decentralized crypto exchanges and stealing digital assets worth over $12 million, according to an April 12 statement from the US Department of Justice. The sentencing marks the first time someone has been convicted for hacking a smart contract. US […]
The post US court hands down historic sentence for smart contract hacker appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Ethereum developers are currently deliberating the Pectra upgrade, which is poised to enhance various facets of the blockchain’s functionality. Tim Beiko, the Ethereum Foundation‘s protocol support lead, confirmed the development, revealing that the developers have agreed to include Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIP) 3074 in the network’s slated overhaul. EIP 3074 EIP 3074 is a pivotal […]
The post Ethereum Pectra upgrade promises major wallet improvements with EIP 3074 integration appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Blast-based lending protocol Pac Finance confirmed that its liquidation threshold was changed unexpectedly without prior information to its team, resulting in significant user losses. This issue is representative of the ongoing challenges faced by DeFi protocols on the Ethereum layer-2 network, Blast. Last month, Munchables, a web3 game operating on this network, suffered a loss […]
The post Blast-based Pac Finance unexpectedly liquidates users for $26 million appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Uniswap Labs, the software development company behind the decentralized exchange (DEX) Uniswap, was served with a Wells Notice by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday, which could result in an Enforcement Action. Amid these regulatory challenges, Uniswap Labs has partnered with Across, a cross-chain protocol, to propose a new standard for cross-chain […]
A recent Fortune Magazine report revealed that Dapper Labs, a prominent non-fungible token (NFT) company, was under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) until September 2023. The internal agency document obtained by Fortune indicates that the investigation was abruptly closed, leaving many questions unanswered. Dapper Labs Investigation Terminated By SEC Chief Per the […]