CFTC LOSES GRIP ON PRECIOUS-METALS DEALER IN NINTH CIRCUIT RULING The Ninth Circuit just told the CFTC it cannot treat every leveraged precious-metals contract as a regulated “retail commodity transaction,” carving a major exemption for certain dealer-arranged financing deals. The decision reverses a lower-court injunction and hands Monex Credit a decisive victory in a long-running…
Court Hands CFTC Fresh Power Over Crypto Trevor Kitchen just lost his fight to keep the Commodity Futures Trading Commission out of his crypto business, and the D.C. Circuit’s ruling could reshape how digital asset platforms operate. The appeals court upheld the agency’s order against Kitchen, finding he had illegally offered leveraged crypto contracts to…
SEC Proposes Rules to Clarify How Advisers and Funds Can Hold Crypto The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed rules aimed at clarifying how investment advisers and funds can hold cryptocurrency. The proposal addresses an area of uncertainty for firms that manage client assets or operate investment funds with exposure to digital assets. Clearer…
CFTC WINS NINTH CIRCUIT ROUND AGAINST CRYPTO PIONEER The Ninth Circuit just handed the CFTC a decisive win in a case that could reshape how regulators police early crypto ventures. James Devlin Crombie’s appeal was rejected, confirming the agency’s authority to pursue him for running an unregistered futures-trading platform that allowed users to bet on…
COURT FREEZES 24 CRYPTO ACCOUNTS IN IRS SWEEP U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich just green-lit the government’s seizure of two-dozen cryptocurrency wallets tied to an IRS probe, handing federal agents a powerful new precedent for freezing digital assets without waiting for an indictment. The ruling matters because it shows how quickly civil forfeiture can…
This AI Is Already Fooling People on Video Calls Into Thinking It’s Human, Company Says AI startup Tavus says its new conversational video model, Griffin, persuaded nearly half of participants in an internal test to believe they were speaking with a real person on a live video call. According to Tavus, 26 of 54 people…
SEC Slams Brakes on Binance, Markets Feel the Chill The Securities and Exchange Commission just won a federal ruling that keeps its sprawling lawsuit against Binance alive and kicking. A D.C. district court refused to toss most of the agency’s claims, signaling that crypto exchanges can’t simply wave away U.S. securities law by saying they’re…
Once a $2.3 Billion Network, Ethereum Layer-2 Blast Is Shutting Down Ethereum layer-2 network Blast is shutting down, marking the end of a project that once reached a reported $2.3 billion in value. Layer-2 networks are built on top of Ethereum to process transactions with the goal of improving scalability and reducing costs. Blast’s closure…
Diamond Fortress Suit Slams Delaware Courthouse Doors A Delaware court just shut down an attempted end-run around federal crypto rules. Plaintiffs Diamond Fortress Technologies and Charles Hatcher II sued in state court claiming their blockchain security patents were misappropriated by former partners; the judge dismissed the case, ruling that the dispute belongs in federal court…
Grayscale Wins, SEC Loses: Appeals Court Slams Bitcoin ETF Rejection A federal appeals court just handed Grayscale a decisive victory over the SEC, ruling the agency’s refusal to convert the world’s largest Bitcoin trust into an ETF was arbitrary and capricious. The decision forces the SEC to reconsider its stance on spot Bitcoin products, immediately…
COURT SLAPS DONELSON WITH $2.5 MILLION PENALTY FOR FAKE CRYPTO PROFITS The Seventh Circuit just upheld the CFTC’s biggest-ever penalty against an individual crypto fraudster, sending a clear warning that fake performance claims will cost real money. James Donelson’s $2.5 million civil fine and permanent trading ban survived appeal, showing regulators can still collect big…
Trump Is Hosting Yet Another Meme Coin Dinner: Here Are the Details Donald Trump is set to host another dinner connected to a meme coin, according to the information provided. However, no further details were available about the event, including its date, location, guest list or the specific token involved. The event highlights the continued…
COINBASE WINS FIRST ROUND IN SEC SHOWDOWN The Third Circuit just handed Coinbase a narrow but loud victory by ordering the SEC to respond to the exchange’s long-ignored petition for clearer crypto rules. The decision signals that regulators can no longer dodge direct questions about whether digital assets fall under securities law, and it keeps…
Visa Says Business Payments Now Drive 17% of Stablecoin-Linked Card Volume Business payments account for 17% of volume generated by stablecoin-linked cards, according to Visa. The figure highlights the role of stablecoins in commercial payments, alongside their more familiar use in transfers and consumer transactions. Stablecoins are digital assets designed to maintain a stable value,…
SEC Proposes Rules to Clear Up How Advisers and Funds Can Hold Crypto The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed new rules aimed at clarifying how registered investment advisers and certain funds can custody crypto assets such as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The proposal is designed to replace years of uncertainty with a clearer…
Bitcoin Slips as Iran Tensions and Yen Risks Mount Bitcoin failed to reclaim the $80,000 level as escalating tensions involving Iran pressured U.S. stocks and weakened broader risk appetite. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s comments also fueled concern that a stronger yen could trigger an unwind of the popular yen carry trade, adding another layer of…
Another Trump memecoin dinner advertised for token’s top investors A dinner linked to the Trump memecoin has been advertised for the token’s top investors, marking another event aimed at its largest holders. The promotion highlights the growing role of exclusive gatherings in the memecoin’s investor outreach. No further details about the event were provided. The…
LAPTOP Memecoin Turns Political Controversy Into Speculation A new memecoin called LAPTOP is using the Hunter Biden laptop controversy as its central theme. Its disclosures admit the token has no utility, while promising locked founder tokens and a small allocation for investors who lost money on TRUMP. The project appears designed to capitalize on political…
Trump’s Potential AI Czar, Jay Clayton, Helped Pioneer the SEC’s Crypto Crackdown Jay Clayton, who is being considered for a potential role as an artificial intelligence adviser in the Trump administration, previously played a leading role in shaping the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s approach to crypto assets. During Clayton’s tenure at the SEC, the…
Crypto Groups Move to Block Illinois Tax CCI and the Blockchain Association are asking a court to stop Illinois’ proposed 0.2% tax on cryptocurrency activity before it takes effect in January. The groups argue the levy is unconstitutional and would create expensive compliance demands for businesses operating in the state. The legal challenge follows an…
