India’s ED probe Bollywood star in $800m crypto ponzi scheme

India’s ED is investigating Raj Kundra in a $800m cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, seizing assets and linking him to a failed Bitcoin mining project. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing Raj Kundra, a prominent businessman and husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, concerning a money laundering case linked to a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme dubbed ‘Gain Bitcoin.’ Notably, Kundra is not the...

Bitcoin ransomware defrauds over 250 companies for $42m

Federal Bureau of Investigation officials warn the public about the spread of Akira ransomware. According to an FBI statement, Akira Bitcoin (BTC) ransomware caused multi-million dollar losses to various companies and organizations in North America, Europe, and Australia. Malicious software gains access to enterprise infrastructure through a VPN, accessing software without multi-factor authentication. Akira then steals confidential data and...

Grayscale’s Bitcoin ETF hits $1.6b outflows hours before halving

Grayscale’s spot Bitcoin ETF continued a five-day outflow sprint leading to the halving, a code change that occurs every four years to help maintain BTC scarcity. Data gathered by SoSoValue showed $89.9 million in Grayscale exits, bringing GBTC’s total net outflows to $1.6 billion since trading opened back in January. For all 10 spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs, cumulative outflows...

Token2024: Ava Labs CEO says Avalanche was ‘never ever’ marketed as ETH killer

Emin Gün Sirer of Ava Labs says Avalanche was never marketed as an “Ethereum killer,” stressing though its ability to deploy independent blockchains, unlike Ethereum. The head of Ava Labs, Emin Gün Sirer, says Avalanche “was never ever” designed to be an “Ethereum killer,” adding that the definition was developed by marketing managers at Consensys, a blockchain tech firm...

Arkansas State House passes bills to limit cryptocurrency mining

The Arkansas State House has approved two bills that could see a ban on crypto mining activities within the state. At present, the bills are still under consideration and have yet to progress to full-fledged legislation; they establish the framework for further discussions leading to potential legislation. On April 17, senators held a Senate hearing to discuss general concerns...

Binance announces token drop platform Megadrop after securing Dubai VASP license

Leading crypto exchange, Binance has announced a new airdrop and web3 quest platform dubbed Megadrop. Announced on April 18, Megadrop is primarily a token launch platform that will host airdrops and Web3 quests by integrating the Binance Simple Earn program and the Binance Web3 Wallet. The goal, per Binance, is to make the airdrop experience more engaging for...

Stacks’ co-founder believes layer 2 will drive adoption for 2nd phase of Bitcoin

Muneeb Ali, co-founder of Stacks, shared his perspective on the rapid shift towards a diverse and active phase of innovation within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Ali highlighted a notable shift in the challenges faced by Stacks within the Bitcoin ecosystem, with an increased focus on creativity and solution diversity at a panel during Dubai’s Token2049 event “The biggest problem with...

Solana congestion prompts Ore project to pause mining

To alleviate congestion on the Solana network, the pseudonymous creator of the Ore project, Hardhat Chad, announced an immediate halt to all mining. Ore, a blockchain-based project launched on Solana, is exploring the right distribution method by using a proof-of-work (PoW) token distribution mechanism. The project is experimenting with combining PoW’s security with Solana’s fast transaction...

Bitcoin mining stocks continue to slump ahead of halving

Bitcoin mining companies are facing a notable decrease in stock value in anticipation of the upcoming halving. Shares of Marathon Digital Holdings, Riot Platforms, and CleanSpark have declined for three consecutive days. Marathon Digital Holdings, the largest public Bitcoin miner, lost nearly 25% of its stock value in the past month, while Riot Platforms lost almost 30%. Additionally, the...

Biblical floods hit Dubai, disrupting Blockchain Life and Token2049

Dubai is grappling with extreme weather conditions that has disrupted the city’s infrastructure at a time when crypto elites have descended on the city for several industry conferences. Crypto conferences such as Blockchain Life and Token2049 encountered an unexpected twist on Apr. 16 as rainfall levels in Dubai surged to record highs within a 24-hour span, prompting adjustments...