Author: James Wilson

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran-linked entities moved more than $3.84 billion through crypto exchange CoinEx since 2019.  Summary CoinEx now faces scrutiny after WSJ linked Iran-related wallets to $3.84b in transactions since 2019. Investigators reportedly traced central bank wallets to Bybit hack funds tied to North Korean actors. The report lands as U.S. authorities widen crypto sanctions actions against Iranian exchanges and wallets. The report cited TRM Labs and public on-chain data. It said CoinEx became one of the main crypto routes allegedly used to move funds outside U.S. sanctions. The report said investigators found unusual activity from…

World has expanded access to AgentKit, a framework that has enabled verified users to connect AI agents to their digital identities and prove those agents represent real people rather than automated bot networks. Summary World has expanded AgentKit, allowing AI agents to operate on behalf of verified human users through World ID. The framework supports AI tools such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Hermes, and OpenClaw. A recent sale of 500 limited-edition hats demonstrated how verified AI agents can complete purchases while enforcing one-person limits. According to World, the rollout comes as AI agents take on a growing number of…

Michelle Bond has lost her bid to dismiss criminal charges, with a federal judge setting her trial to begin on Nov. 9 after rejecting arguments tied to her husband Ryan Salame’s plea agreement. Summary A federal judge has denied Michelle Bond’s bid to dismiss campaign finance charges and scheduled her trial for Nov. 9. Prosecutors allege Bond and Ryan Salame used about $400,000 in FTX funds to illegally finance her 2022 congressional campaign. Bond’s trial is among the final criminal cases tied to FTX’s collapse, while Sam Bankman-Fried continues pursuing post-conviction legal options. According to an order from Judge George…

Cathie Wood has dismissed mounting inflation fears despite U.S. headline CPI rising to 4.2% in May, arguing that underlying price pressures are close to disappearing. Summary Cathie Wood says underlying inflation is near 0.5% despite headline U.S. CPI rising to 4.2% in May. The ARK Invest CEO cites productivity gains and Truflation data to argue inflation pressures are easing. Wood believes Fed Chair Kevin Warsh could support economic growth if inflation falls toward 0% to 1%. According to the ARK Invest CEO, inflation fears dominated conversations during her recent investor meetings across Asia and Europe, where many participants questioned whether…

Kalshi has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new Illinois law that would require prediction market platforms offering sports event contracts to obtain state licenses before operating. Summary Kalshi has sued Illinois, arguing the state’s sports prediction market law violates federal authority. The company says complying with the law would conflict with CFTC rules and create unrecoverable costs. The lawsuit comes as Kalshi pursues a reported $40 billion valuation and expands its crypto product lineup. According to a filing submitted Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Kalshi sued Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General…

SpaceX shares have remained under pressure after short interest jumped to 13% of the publicly tradable float while the stock lost more than 25% over the past five trading sessions. Summary Short interest in SpaceX has climbed to 13% of the public float as SPCX extends its post-IPO decline. Rising bearish bets have fueled debate over a potential short squeeze due to the stock’s limited tradable share supply. Susquehanna initiated coverage with a neutral rating, citing valuation concerns despite strong long-term growth drivers. According to data from Ortex Technologies cited by Reuters, bearish bets against SpaceX have risen rapidly in…

Bitcoin has fallen below $60,000 for a second time this month, triggering more than $850 million in crypto liquidations and sending Strategy shares to an intraday low of $92.28 as investors reacted to mounting pressure across digital assets and technology stocks. Summary Bitcoin fell below $60,000 for the second time in June, triggering more than $850 million in crypto liquidations. Technical indicators show BTC retesting June support near $59,200 after losing a key Fibonacci retracement level. Strategy shares dropped as much as 11% intraday, while crypto stocks and miners sold off alongside weakening ETF flows. According to data from crypto.news,…

Months of negotiations have brought the CLARITY Act to its final review stage, with Senator Cynthia Lummis confirming a July 4 release of the updated text ahead of a Senate push later in July. Summary Senator Cynthia Lummis said the final CLARITY Act text will be released around July 4 for public review. Senate leaders are working to schedule floor consideration of the crypto market structure bill in July. Law enforcement groups and anti-trafficking advocates continue to oppose Section 604 over AML and oversight concerns. According to Lummis, who spoke with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, Senate negotiators are preparing…

Strategy’s common stock has fallen below $100, prompting renewed criticism from Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff, who argues that further declines could leave the company facing difficult decisions over its Bitcoin treasury strategy. Summary Peter Schiff warned that a deeper MSTR stock decline could eventually force Strategy to sell Bitcoin. Strategy raised $335.5 million through stock sales, allocating $35 million to buy 520 BTC. CryptoQuant urged Strategy to pause Bitcoin purchases and rebuild cash reserves as dividend obligations rise. According to comments posted by Schiff on X, sustained pressure from short sellers could push Strategy into a situation where repurchasing its…

Bitcoin-linked preferred stocks STRC and SATA have entered the spotlight after Strive CEO Matt Cole projected a $3 trillion digital credit market tied to Bitcoin income products. Summary Strive CEO Matt Cole said STRC and SATA could help create a $3 trillion digital credit market tied to Bitcoin. Strive recently bought 759 BTC using funds raised through SATA, a preferred stock offering a 13% annualized dividend. CryptoQuant warned Strategy may need $2.8 billion in cash reserves as STRC continues trading below its $100 par value. Speaking during an interview, Cole argued that digital credit products such as Strive’s SATA and…