Author: James Wilson

Interest in cryptocurrencies shows no signs of slowing down in Hong Kong as 25% of adults planning to invest, a new survey finds. A November 2024 survey by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology found that a quarter of respondents plan to hold cryptocurrencies, up 6% from a poll conducted in September 2023, The Standard reports. The survey, which polled 5,863 adults over three weeks, also found that uncertainty still remains high. Across all three surveys, at least 40% of respondents indicated uncertainty in holding cryptocurrencies in the future, the HKUST research team stated. At the same time,…

German data infra company deltaDAO has launched a blockchain-based platform designed to streamline AI and data-sharing while ensuring privacy and control. DeltaDAO, a German data infrastructure company, has launched the so-called Pontus-X, a platform powered by the Oasis Network blockchain aimed at making AI and data-sharing easier across Europe, with over 180 institutions already on board, including Airbus and T-Systems. In a press release shared with crypto.news, deltaDAO mentioned that at Hannover Messe in Germany, visitors can “experience live demonstrations of the ecosystem’s capabilities.” Experts are also hosting sessions on “managed identity wallets, data and digital service monetization and sovereign…

Berachain has emerged as a leading blockchain for net bridge inflows and one of the fastest-growing networks in total value locked over the past month. Over the past month, Berachain (BERA) led in net bridge flows with $354.91 million, outpacing Aptos (APT) at $54.2 million and Solana (SOL) at $42.77 million. Source: DefiLama Additionally, Berachain has seen a 18.89% increase in TVL over the past month, the highest growth among the top 15 blockchains by active addresses. This is despite having fewer protocols (49) compared to larger networks, which means that liquidity in Berachain is concentrated in a smaller set…

An amended California bill that proposes protections for digital asset payments and self-custody is awaiting its first reading in the state legislature. On March 28, California’s Banking and Finance Committee chair Avelino Valencia amended Assembly Bill 1052, stripping out the original “Money Transmission Act” title and renaming it as “Digital assets.”  The revisions fold in a broad slate of digital asset-related protections, effectively reshaping the bill’s focus. If passed, the bill would make it legal for any individual or business in the state to “accept payment in the form of a digital financial asset” for goods or services.  It also…

Crypto ATM providers have received a warning from the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre that those who don’t fully comply with anti-money laundering rules will face legal action. According to a Mar. 31 press release statement, AUSTRAC’s cryptocurrency task force has found signs of suspicious transactions and fraud, raising concerns about the growing number of crypto ATMs. Since December, the task force has been working with businesses to check if they are following AML and counter-terrorism financing rules.  AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas issued a warning, saying that although the agency is assisting companies in improving compliance, those who do…

MARA Holdings Inc. plans to offer $2 billion worth of its stock to fund additional Bitcoin purchases. In a March 28 Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Florida-based Bitcoin miner disclosed that it’s teaming up with several major investment firms to sell shares “from time to time” under a new at-the-market offering. The company said in an accompanying prospectus that proceeds will go toward general corporate purposes, but it made it clear that buying more Bitcoin is high on the list. According to the prospectus, MARA may sell its stock through firms like Barclays, Cantor Fitzgerald,…

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the United States experienced a sharp drop in net inflows over the past week as they snapped a 10-day streak of inflows that brought in nearly $1.07 billion. According to data from SoSoValue, the 12 spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $196.48 million in net inflows over the past week, a drop of 73.6% from the week prior, which saw $744.35 million enter the funds. Notably, Bitcoin ETFs recorded net positive flows in the first four days of the week of March 24–28, starting with $84.17 million on Monday, followed by $26.83 million, $89.57 million, and $89.06…

Japan’s financial regulator is reportedly set to redefine crypto under financial law, subjecting it to new compliance requirements. Japan might be preparing to classify cryptocurrencies as financial products in a move to target insider trading, Nikkei has learned. The country’s financial regulator, the Financial Services Agency, is said to be planning a bill to revise the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, which could be submitted to parliament as early as 2026. As of press time, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) are treated as a means of settlement under the Payment Services Act, as they were initially expected to be used mainly…

Ethereum-based DeFi protocol SIR.trading, also known as Synthetics Implemented Right, was completely drained in an exploit on Mar. 30, losing all $355,000 of its total value locked. TenArmor, a blockchain security firm, was the first to report the attack on a Mar. 30 post o. X. TenArmor flagged several suspicious transactions and pointed out that the stolen funds had been transferred to RailGun, a privacy platform that helps hide transactions. Later, security platform Decurity, revealed that the hacker took advantage of a flaw in SIR.trading’s Vault contract, specifically in a function called “uniswapV3SwapCallback.” Decurity referred to the hack as a…

Japan’s Metaplanet has announced the issuance of its 10th Series of Ordinary Bonds, raising ¥2 billion ($13.33 million) to fund further Bitcoin acquisitions. The bonds have no interest and will be fully redeemed by Sep. 30, 2025, as per the company’s filing on Mar. 31. The entire issuance has been allocated to EVO FUND. The move aligns with Metaplanet’s aggressive Bitcoin (BTC) accumulation strategy.  On Mar. 24, the firm added 150 BTC to its treasury at an average price of ¥12.57 million ($80,000) per BTC, bringing its total holdings to 3,350 BTC. Metaplanet has spent ¥42.22 billion ($270 million) on…