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Federal officials, including FBI, SEC, and NYC prosecutors, are investigating potential fraud allegations against Barry Silbert, CEO of Digital Currency Group and its subsidiary Genesis Global Capital, following claims raised by Cameron Winklevoss, co-founder of the crypto trading platform Gemini Trust. Despite Silbert's denial of any wrongdoing, the investigation into the company's financials is moving forward.
Caroline Pham, a member of the CFTC, has recommended a pilot program for regulation in the cryptocurrency markets. With input from industry experts and other members, Pham is suggesting a limited-time program that includes registration, risk management, and product terms. However, as the CFTC is led by Chairman Rostin Benham, a critic of the crypto industry, there may be delays in Pham's proposed measures.
Eigenlayer's newly introduced designs, MEV-Boost+ and MEV-Boost++, are aimed at improving Ethereum's liveness and protection against censorship. The contributions allow block proposers to auction off part of a block while maintaining the capacity to include transactions in the remaining segment. The innovations are an attempt to alleviate network concerns triggered by builder centralization and lack of relay neutrality.
Braavos has introduced Multi-Owner Account, an advanced multi-sig wallet on Starknet Mainnet. Beyond typical crypto multisig models, MOA combines innovative security with easy integration into decentralized applications. Key security features include decentralized three-factor authentication, autonomous gas payment capabilities, and seamless connectivity with dApps. The MOA will enable teams to manage Starknet treasuries and contract upgrades securely and collaboratively.
This article discusses challenges and solutions regarding the integration of hidden information in games using a fully on-chain game backend. Emphasizing that zero-knowledge tech isn't the only answer, it advocates for the utilization of diverse cryptographic techniques for more engaging and balanced gameplay. The article also explains that the merging of privacy techniques from DeFi into on-chain gaming could unlock a new category of dApps.
The new privacy paper that came out earlier this week by co-authors Vitalik Buterin and Jacob Illum explores the use of Privacy Pools, a feature allowing users to separate themselves from illicit funds. This is comparable to Tornado Cash, with the added ability to prove that your original deposit came from a whitelisted address. The authors suggest that third-party whitelist providers could supply non-sanctioned or low-risk addresses. However, there are concerns about whether this would meet the Department of Justice's standards for compliance.
Former FTX Bahamas subsidiary leader, Ryan Salame, pleaded guilty to unlawful political contributions and running an unlicensed money-transmitting business. Agreeing to surrender over $1.5 billion in assets, his plea intensifies pressure on Sam Bankman-Fried, who is due for a fraud trial. Salame also faces separate investigations for questionable contributions to his girlfriend's political campaign.
This blogger kind of succeeded in paying for most expenses over a week in Italy with cryptocurrencies. Despite initial challenges, the author managed to cover costs for a co-working space, food, beverages, and travel with Bitcoin, Monero, Zcash, and other forms of cryptocurrencies through various applications and gift card services. The author acknowledged the need for in-depth research and contingency plans when relying solely on digital currency.
Earlier this week, Stake, a popular crypto casino and sportsbook, was exploited for $41 million. According to the FBI, the infamous Lazarus Group was responsible for this.
Riot Platforms earned $31.7 million in energy credits from Texas' ERCOT by reducing power during a heatwave, offsetting losses from declining Bitcoin revenues.
The LastPass breach in 2022 has been linked to crypto thefts totaling $35 million, and it is presumed that victims stored crypto "seed phrases" in LastPass, giving the hackers access to their wallets once LastPass was breached.
Crypto Facilities, owned by Kraken, has been discussing launching futures contracts denominated in fiat currency with the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority.