CoinDesk

The IRS lost two key directors working on crypto initiatives, Seth Wilks and Raj Mukherjee, on Friday after they accepted deferred resignation offers directed by the Department of Government Efficiency. Wilks and Mukherjee, who both went to the IRS from the crypto industry, are technically still employees with the IRS for the next few months … Read more

In February, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began soliciting public input pertaining to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — a move suggesting reform at the agency is imminent. Since then, the SEC, in line with President Trump, has taken a far less adversarial stance towards the cryptocurrency industry, as evidenced by the … Read more

This week, bitcoin climbed steadily to reach nearly $100K, amid hopes for a China-U.S. trade and better macroeconomic conditions ahead. Institutions like Mastercard and BlackRock made important digital asset announcements. An historic stablecoin bill neared completion in the U.S. Congress. (A former prime-mover in the House said to expect a “wicked hot summer” of legislation.) … Read more

As the Dubai Token2049 conference concludes, one of the key takeaways is that the narrative around bitcoin (BTC) is swiftly expanding beyond its traditional role as a store of value to a potential DeFi asset competing with Ethereum and Solana. Prominent industry players like Franklin Templeton view this development as a positive step, confident it … Read more

Huione Group, the Cambodia-based conglomerate that the U.S. Treasury Department wants to cut out of the U.S. financial system, received $98 billion worth of crypto since 2014 through illicit schemes like money laundering, pig butchering and online scams, according to blockchain security firm Elliptic. The company, which has links to the Asian country’s ruling Hun … Read more

As markets stabilize and bitcoin claws its way back above $100k, Kevin O’Leary – also known as “Mr. Wonderful” – is doubling down on digital assets and calling for clear regulation to unlock crypto’s next chapter. “I consider crypto to be the 12th sector of the economy within five years,” he told CoinDesk in a … Read more

Wall Street analysts are standing firmly behind Strategy’s (MSTR) aggressive escalation of its bitcoin (BTC) acquisition strategy after the company unveiled plans to double its capital-raising ambitions. “While the number of companies that have sought to replicate Strategy’s bitcoin acquisition strategy has continued to grow rapidly … MSTR yesterday issued a reminder of the extent … Read more

CoinDesk Indices presents its daily market update, highlighting the performance of leaders and laggards in the CoinDesk 20 Index. The CoinDesk 20 is currently trading at 2786.55, down 0.4% (-11.45) since 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. Four of 20 assets are trading higher. Leaders: BCH (+1.8%) and BTC (+0.4%). Laggards: SUI (-5.9%) and AVAX (-2.4%). … Read more

Tether, the company behind the $148 billion stablecoin USDT, plans to launch its U.S.-focused stablecoin later this year or early 2026 depending on the nation’s stablecoin legislation, CEO Paolo Ardoino told CNBC in an interview. “Realistically, it depends on the timeline of the final legislation on stablecoins, but we are looking at [launching the product] … Read more

In the first look at the employment picture since last month’s Liberation Day tariff announcements sent markets tumbling and supply chain professionals into never-imagined areas of uncertainty, the U.S. jobs market for the time being remained reasonably strong. The U.S. added 177,000 jobs in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Nonfarm Payrolls Report. … Read more

A bitcoin (BTC) breakout earlier this week has traders eyeing the $100,000 level in the coming days, a euphoric trade that could be short-lived as May’s seasonality approaches. “Historically, the next couple of months have been weak for financial markets, with many investors abiding by the Sell in May and Walk Away adage,” Jeff Mei, … Read more

Crypto exchange Kraken reported $472 million in revenue for the first quarter of 2025, up 19% from a year earlier despite a softening crypto market. The exchange’s adjusted EBITDA (profit before deductions) reached $187 million, a 17% rise year-over-year. Trading volume on the platform, rose 29% year-over-year, and funded accounts grew by 26%, while assets … Read more

Google is rolling out a privacy-focused upgrade to its Wallet service that uses zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology for age verification, per a release. The company said that the dating app Bumble, among others, will be one of the first partners to use this system. Bumble will use digital IDs issued through Google Wallet for user … Read more

By Francisco Rodrigues (All times ET unless indicated otherwise) Markets seem bullish ahead of the jobs report due later Friday, with bitcoin (BTC) rising toward $97,000 after stocks rose for an eighth straight day on Thursday. That gave the S&P 500 its longest rally since August as investors grew more confident that trade tensions between … Read more

The U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is seeking views on intermediaries, staking, lending, borrowing, and decentralised finance (DeFi), in a discussion paper released on Friday. The discussion paper follows draft legislation by the Treasury that was announced on Tuesday. Once the legislation passes it will bring specific crypto activities within the FCA’s regulation, the regulator … Read more

Tokyo-based Metaplanet (3350) has issued 3.6 billion yen (around $24.8 million) in bonds to fund additional purchases of bitcoin (BTC) after the Japanese hotel firm’s holdings surpassed 5,000 BTC. According to a notice from the company, the newly issued bonds were sold entirely to EVO FUND. The bonds carry no interest and will be redeemed … Read more

Optimism for dogecoin (DOGE) and XRP based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is rising sharply with crowd sentiment shifting in favor of both tokens, social data from Santiment in a Thursday update shows. Monitoring social commentary can be used alongside technical tools in a trading strategy, as positive chatter tends to support price rises, while negative chatter … Read more

Bitcoin (BTC) is trading above $97,000 during the Asian morning hours as the market breathes a sigh of relief that the U.S. and China are said to be working on a trade deal, even if the market is also skeptical that a deal will be reached this month. “The U.S. has proactively reached out to … Read more

Movement Labs announced today on X that it had suspended co-founder Rushi Manche. The move to suspend Manche comes as Coinbase delisted the MOVE token. Coinbase moved to suspend trading of MOVE following a report by CoinDesk that revealed Movement Labs is investigating how a market maker tied to Web3Port acquired and dumped over 5% … Read more

The U.S. Senate may soon vote on legislation that would establish U.S. regulations for the issuers of stablecoins, also marking the first time the chamber has considered a major crypto bill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, started the ball rolling to fast-track the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins … Read more

The U.S. Treasury Department proposed cutting off the Cambodia-based Huione Group from the U.S. financial system, citing the cyber-crime help the illicit marketplace gives to North Korean hackers and other criminal groups. The Telegram-based operation has been a “critical node for laundering proceeds of cyber heists” and aiding in so-called “pig butchering” scams that typically … Read more

NEW YORK, NY — Mango Markets exploiter Avraham “Avi” Eisenberg, who stole $110 million from the now-defunct decentralized finance protocol in 2022, was sentenced to 52 months in prison on Thursday — on his guilty plea to possession of child sexual exploitation material, not for his conviction on the crypto theft. The sentencing comes a year … Read more

Disclaimer: The analyst who co-wrote this piece owns shares of Strategy (MSTR). Strategy (MSTR) reported a first-quarter 2025 loss of $16.49 after posting a $5.9 billion writedown on its bitcoin stack thanks to a sizable decline in the price of BTC during the year’s first three months. Led by Executive Chairman Michael Saylor, the company, … Read more

What may or may not have been a blow-off top last week in the price of gold appears to have benefitted bitcoin (BTC) and that trend could be set to continue. Already among the best-performing global assets in recent months, gold’s rally powered to new heights in the weeks following President Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs … Read more

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has closed its investigation into PayPal’s dollar-backed stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD), without taking enforcement action, ending a regulatory chapter that began more than a year ago, the company said. “In November 2023, we received a subpoena from the U.S. SEC Division of Enforcement relating to PayPal USD stablecoin. The … Read more

Litecoin (LTC) price surged more than 7% on Thursday, outperforming the broader market gauge CoinDesk 20 Index, which climbed about 4%. Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas reports that spot Litecoin ETF approval chances have surged to 90%, with a decisive deadline of October 2nd that could dramatically broaden LTC’s institutional investor base and potentially … Read more

Geopolitical tensions and evolving trade policies continue to shape cryptocurrency markets, with Solana emerging as a focal point amid global economic uncertainty. SOL has shown impressive recovery strength, climbing 8% from its April 30 low of $140 to around $152, with daily trading volume jumping 35% over 24 hours. This resilience comes as US-China trade … Read more

Coinbase will suspend trading of Movement’s MOVE token, citing “recent reviews,” following a CoinDesk investigation into market-making deals that experts said incentivized price manipulation. The token fell more than 13% on the trading suspension news, while the broader market gauge CoinDesk 20 Index rose 4.4%. Movement Labs is currently investigating how a market maker may … Read more

The Cosmos ecosystem is gaining significant institutional attention amid broader market volatility, with ATOM showing remarkable resilience after recovering from a drop to $4.23 on April 30th to stabilize above $4.38. The price of ATOM rose more than 4% in the last 24 hours, while the broader market gauge CoinDesk 20 Index climbed nearly the … Read more

The panic that ensued following President Trump’s Liberation Day tariff announcements continues to fade, with bitcoin (BTC) and major U.S. stock averages surging anew. Bitcoin at press time was trading just above $97,000 for the first time in nearly ten weeks, up 3.3% over the past 24 hours and ahead 14% since Liberation Day. With … Read more