Editor's Choice
Russian authorities will introduce a separate category of electricity consumers for cryptocurrency miners ⚡️ to prevent network overload caused by a 150% increase in energy consumption in Irkutsk and Buryatia.
Russian authorities are considering the introduction of a separate category of electricity consumers for crypto miners. This step is aimed at regulating energy consumption and preventing crises in regions where mining is overloading the power grid.According to Deputy Energy Minister Evgeny Grabchak, the uncontrolled growth of cryptocurrency mining could lead to a shortage of electricity. In regions such as the Irkutsk region and Buryatia, energy consumption by miners has increased by 150% over the past year.The new category will allow miners to be limited or disconnected during peak load hours. The bill is expected to be submitted to the State Duma in the coming months.
Elon Musk supports Polymarket, stating that the cryptocurrency prediction platform is more accurate than polls: Donald Trump leads Kamala Harris by 3% 📈
Tech billionaire Elon Musk said in his post on platform X that he believes the cryptocurrency prediction platform Polymarket is a more accurate tool for predicting the outcome of the next U.S. presidential election than traditional polling methods.Musk emphasized that prediction markets, where people risk their money, can provide more accurate forecasts of events than regular polls. In his tweet on October 6, he pointed to Polymarket data showing Donald Trump leading Democratic candidate Kamala Harris by 3%.Polymarket is a decentralized prediction market where users place bets in USDC on the outcome of various events.
Residents of Granbury sue Marathon Digital over noise pollution from Bitcoin mining, demanding compensation for deteriorating health and rising electricity costs 🌐💥
The major cryptocurrency mining company Marathon Digital has been sued by residents of the city of Granbury, Texas, on charges of noise pollution, which, according to local residents, is harming their health and disrupting their usual way of life.A group of local residents filed a lawsuit in Texas district court against Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc., claiming that the company’s bitcoin mining facility is causing "serious health problems and a deterioration in the quality of life" for people living near the site.According to a statement from the nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice, which represents the plaintiffs, at least two dozen local residents have experienced serious health issues, including irreversible hearing loss, migraines, tinnitus, and severe dizziness.The plaintiffs are also concerned about rising electricity costs in the region, reporting bill increases of $100–200 per month. In addition, residents are complaining about a decrease in their property values, as the constant noise and vibrations from the mining facility are turning their homes into "prisons."The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction to prevent excessive noise at Marathon's mining farm and calls for the court to take measures to protect the rights and health of local residents.Noise complaints were filed with local law enforcement from November 2023 to March 2024. The company’s attempts to reduce noise levels, including installing a 24-foot sound wall, have been insufficient.Marathon Digital stated that it commissioned a third-party organization to conduct a noise level study and promised to continue investigating the situation.
FTX is finalizing its bankruptcy process: Judge John Dorsey has approved a payout plan of up to 118% of locked funds in U.S. dollars 💵, with the return of $16 billion in assets for creditors and exchange customers 🌐
FTX’s bankruptcy process is coming to an end: Judge John Dorsey has approved a payout plan, under which creditors will receive up to 118% of their funds in U.S. dollars. After two years of waiting, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved the company's reorganization, and FTX will begin payouts using $16 billion of recovered assets.Payouts will also go to exchange customers and U.S. government agencies, while liquidators outside the U.S. will receive their funds. FTX plans to complete payouts to customers, 98% of whom had less than $50,000 in their accounts, within 60 days.Some creditors insisted on payments in cryptocurrency to avoid taxes, but the judge denied these requests.To raise funds for payouts, FTX returned donations, sold part of its assets, including stakes in Anthropic and cryptocurrencies.
The National Bank of Bahrain presents the first Bitcoin-linked structured investment product in the Gulf region, with full capital protection for accredited investors 🌐
Bybit Launchpool launches the first native token pool SUI and replaces Tether (USDT) with USD Coin (USDC), improving trading conditions and expanding support for the SUI ecosystem 🔄
Symbiotic account on X hacked: a fake website attempts to steal users' funds through point manipulations and wallet message signatures 🛑
WazirX partners with government agencies to mitigate the aftermath of a cyberattack involving the theft of $235 million 🛡️ and plans to return 52-55% of crypto assets to clients 🔐
Telegram plans to implement blockchain-based collectible NFTs for the new "Gifts" feature on the TON cryptocurrency in 2024 🎁
The Hong Kong SFC plans to issue licenses to 11 crypto platforms by the end of the year, with Hong Kong Virtual Asset Exchange, OSL, and HashKey already approved 📃
Hackers stole more than 116 million USD from cryptocurrency exchanges in September 2024, BingX lost over 44 million USD, total exchange losses for the year exceeded 1.3 billion USD 💰
The Lazarus Group from North Korea has stolen $900 million in cryptocurrencies through cross-chain schemes, with the total laundered funds exceeding $7 billion 💰
The Central Bank of Russia is preparing to launch the digital ruble in July 2025 and is considering using XRP for international payments 🌍
The Central Bank of Russia has announced the launch of the digital ruble in July 2025. This news has sparked great interest, as the digital currency is expected to significantly improve cross-border transactions and modernize Russia's financial system.Furthermore, according to recent reports, the Central Bank of Russia is considering using XRP, a popular digital asset, for its international payment infrastructure. XRP is gaining attention for its ability to instantly conduct international transactions with minimal costs, aligning with the Russian Central Bank's goals of enhancing efficiency and security.A study conducted by the Novosibirsk Innovation Laboratory of the Bank of Russia revealed that Ripple’s XRP-based platform could serve as the foundation for a system of international settlements, providing cryptographic protection, seamless account reconciliation, and fast currency exchanges.Thus, the use of XRP may help Russia circumvent sanctions and create an alternative system of international payments that does not rely on traditional financial institutions, which is particularly important in the current geopolitical environment.
Vitalik Buterin Donates 100 Ethereum 💰 to Defend Tornado Cash Developer 🌪️ Roman Storm, Who Faces Up to 45 Years in Prison ⛓️
In 2022, the United States sanctioned the Tornado Cash mixing service, accusing it of facilitating money laundering. Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin recently made another contribution to Roman Storm's defense fund, the developer of Tornado Cash, by transferring 100 ETH for his legal defense, which is approximately $240,000 USD. This is Buterin's third donation to the fund.According to the "Defend Roman Storm" crowdfunding page, the fund has raised over 327 ETH from 148 different donations, which at the time of writing amounted to approximately $785,000 USD. Storm expressed his gratitude for the support.U.S. Judge Katherine Failla rejected Storm's request to dismiss the case, and the process is ongoing. Storm maintains his innocence, arguing that Tornado Cash is open-source software available to any user and not controlled by the developers.If found guilty, Storm faces up to 45 years in prison, which has caused serious concern within the crypto community.
Donald Trump improves his odds on Polymarket to 51% after Elon Musk's public endorsement at a rally in Pennsylvania against Democrats for threatening free speech 🗽📈
Donald Trump has improved his chances of winning the presidential race against Kamala Harris by 3 percentage points on the Polymarket platform, reaching 51%. This happened after a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump appeared alongside billionaire Elon Musk.Musk publicly endorsed Trump at the rally, calling the upcoming elections "the most important in the nation's lifetime" and accusing the Democratic Party of threatening free speech and constitutional rights. According to many experts, Musk's speech gave new energy to Trump's supporters, which reflected in the increase in his odds on the Polymarket prediction platform.Trump also emphasized his resilience after an assassination attempt in Butler, stating that it did not break his spirit. The rally gathered tens of thousands of supporters who chanted "Fight, fight, fight," backing Trump's rhetoric aimed at defending American values and opposing Democratic policies.
The Moscow Arbitration Court froze $372 million 💰 in the accounts of The Bank of New York Mellon and JP Morgan Chase in the Russian branches of Citibank and Morgan Chase Bank 🇷🇺 as part of a lawsuit by the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation in the MR Bank case 🏦
On Wednesday, the Moscow Arbitration Court froze the funds of the American bank The Bank of New York Mellon and JP Morgan Chase, placed in the accounts of the Russian divisions of Citibank and Morgan Chase Bank, for a total of about $372 million.The lawsuit was filed by the Deputy Prosecutor in the interests of the Russian Federation in connection with the revocation of the license of MR Bank, a subsidiary of Sberbank, by the Ukrainian Central Bank, with plans to liquidate the bank by 2025. The Prosecutor's Office claims that the actions of Ukrainian regulators and two American banks involved in the case constitute "expropriation" of MR Bank's assets.Court documents show that the freezing of assets deprived Sberbank of control over the subsidiary and the ability to manage its revenues, causing damage to state interests.The banks declined to comment on the case.
Best news of the last 10 days
The UAE is fully abolishing taxes on cryptocurrency transactions from November 15 💸 — A Stimulus for Accelerated Adoption of Digital Assets 🚀
Litecoin (LTC) dominates with 37% of cryptocurrency payments on the BitPay platform, outpacing Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) thanks to low fees and transaction speed 🚀
Magic Eden and Ubisoft launch an exclusive NFT collection on the Arbitrum blockchain: with early access and dynamic metadata 🎮🚀
Elon Musk to participate in Donald Trump's rally in Butler: Possible catalyst for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies' growth in October 🚀💰
President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele and Vice President of Argentina Victoria Villarruel discuss Bitcoin integration and Bitcoin bonds in Argentina's economy 💰
El Salvador and Argentina discuss cryptocurrency policyPresident of El Salvador Nayib Bukele met with Vice President of Argentina Victoria Villarruel to discuss Bitcoin-related policies. During an official visit to Argentina, Villarruel expressed interest in El Salvador's Bitcoin bonds, which gained international recognition after the adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021.During the meeting, measures to integrate Bitcoin into El Salvador's economy were discussed, including fundraising projects through Bitcoin bonds. Villarruel showed interest in these bonds and their economic implications, as well as the National Digital Assets Commission, which regulates the digital assets market in El Salvador.These discussions are part of a broader dialogue on cryptocurrencies in Latin America.
Founder of Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme IcomTech David Carmona Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for $8.4 Million Fraud 💰
David Carmona, the founder of the cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme called IcomTech, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Carmona was the "mastermind" behind the scheme, which lured people into parting with their hard-earned money under the pretext of investing in cryptocurrency trading and mining.IcomTech promised its investors a doubling of profits every six months, but in reality, no trading or mining activities were carried out. The prosecution claims that Carmona exploited the trust of his victims, promising them financial freedom, while in fact, the company failed to deliver on its promises. As a result, many investors lost all of their investments.The total losses amounted to approximately $8.4 million, and the scheme operated from mid-2018 to late 2019. Carmona and other promoters held lavish events in the U.S. and abroad, showcasing expensive cars and luxury clothing to convince potential investors of the success of their investments. When investors began demanding their "profits," they were often denied, with various excuses being given, along with the introduction of additional hidden fees.In an attempt to raise more funds, IcomTech launched a token called "Icoms," claiming it would be accepted by various companies, but the token turned out to be practically useless, leading investors to incur even greater losses.Carmona pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in December 2023.
Tether holds around $98 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds 💵🇺🇸, strengthening its cooperation with the U.S. government 🤝 and collaborating with the FBI 🕵️♂️, notes CEO Paolo Ardoino 🎙️
Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, shared his views on the company's significant growth and its collaboration with the U.S. government. Tether holds around $98 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds, making the company one of the largest holders of U.S. Treasury securities in the world.Ardoino pointed out that Tether's success is largely due to its simple and understandable model. He emphasized that Tether has built good relations with the U.S. by complying with regulatory norms and making efforts to ensure compliance. According to Ardoino, Tether has become a "friend" of the U.S. government, closely collaborating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Secret Service.Ardoino also stated that Tether plays an important role in decentralizing U.S. debt, making the country's economy more resilient.
COPA and Unified Patents Launch Blockchain Zone Initiative to Protect Blockchain Developers from Patent Trolls 🛡️ 58% of US Court Cases Involve NPEs
The Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA) and Unified Patents have launched the Blockchain Zone initiative to protect blockchain developers from "patent trolls." This campaign is aimed at combating non-practicing entities (NPEs), which hold patents without creating products and often use expensive lawsuits to pressure companies into costly settlements.Protection of InnovationsNPEs account for 58% of court cases in the US. The Blockchain Zone brings together over 300 companies to protect blockchain technologies from unfounded lawsuits. COPA also provides participants with protection against unnecessary litigation, which is important for smaller developers. Unified Patents has a successful track record in fighting patent claims, and the new initiative aims to protect blockchain from similar threats.