Author: John Smith

Kaspersky has exposed OkoBot, a year-old malware operation that uses roughly 20 modules to steal crypto wallet recovery phrases and has affected users across at least five countries. Summary Kaspersky uncovered OkoBot using roughly 20 modules to steal crypto wallet credentials. The malware has affected users in Brazil, Vietnam, Canada, Mexico, and Turkey. OkoBot uses fake recovery screens, keylogging, spyware, and ClickFix commands to target victims. Kaspersky researchers discovered that the malware has remained active for more than a year, according to a report published by Bits.media. Most identified victims were located in Brazil, Vietnam, Canada, Mexico, and Turkey, while…

Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has bought $18.3 million of SpaceX shares after the stock fell 5.43% to a new post-IPO low, according to the firm’s July 17 trading report. Summary ARK Invest bought $18.3 million of SpaceX shares after the stock hit a post-IPO low. Four ARK ETFs acquired 147,623 shares as SpaceX closed 8.2% below its IPO price. SpaceX delayed Starship Flight 13 after two Raptor engines failed during pre-flight testing. According to ARK’s daily disclosure, four of its actively managed exchange-traded funds purchased a combined 147,623 SpaceX shares as the stock closed Friday at $123.99. During the session,…

Hyperliquid co-founder Jeff Yan has warned that crypto’s failure to attract enough top entrepreneurs has become one of the industry’s biggest obstacles as young talent moves toward artificial intelligence. Summary Jeff Yan says crypto is struggling to attract top young entrepreneurs. AI’s prestige and rapid growth are pulling talented founders away from on-chain finance. George Noble warns heavy AI spending could create serious financial risks. The VALR podcast featured Yan’s comments on how the AI boom and the social status attached to the technology have influenced career choices among young founders. According to Yan, many talented people remain unsure which…

OKX Europe has opened a one-way conversion route across 30 EU and EEA countries, allowing customers to deposit USDT and exchange it for MiCA-compliant USDC. Summary OKX Europe now lets users deposit USDT and convert it into MiCA-compliant USDC. Tether continues to reject MiCA approval over concerns about the framework’s reserve requirements. Binance’s European retreat has left licensed exchanges competing for users affected by MiCA restrictions. According to an OKX announcement, eligible customers can send Tether’s USDT to their OKX Europe accounts before converting the tokens into Circle-issued USDC. OKX also promoted an 8% deposit bonus for customers moving funds…

Anthropic has proposed leasing up to $10 billion of computing power from Meta Platforms over two years as the AI developer prepares for a possible October IPO. Summary Anthropic has proposed leasing up to $10 billion of computing power from Meta over two years. Meta is reviewing the deal, which could create a new revenue stream from its AI infrastructure. Bloomberg reports Anthropic is preparing for a possible IPO as early as October. According to Reuters, which cited The New York Times, Meta is reviewing the proposal after Anthropic presented the terms in June. The planned agreement would require Anthropic…

Piero Cipollone has warned that stablecoins could drain bank deposits as Coinbase fell 1.75% to $157 and Circle lost 6% across five sessions to trade near $60. Summary Piero Cipollone warned that growing stablecoin use could pull deposits away from traditional banks. Coinbase shares are testing $157 support, with Compass Point maintaining a $140 downside target. Circle remains inside a descending channel as Mizuho forecasts a potential drop to $50. The European Central Bank executive board member raised the concern during a July 17 speech at the Federation of Cooperative Credit Banks in Rome, where he linked increased stablecoin use…

Ripple Payments Europe has joined 14 other firms in ESMA’s latest MiCA register update, lifting the number of approved crypto asset service providers to 294. Summary ESMA added Ripple Payments Europe and 14 other firms to its MiCA register. Ripple can now provide regulated crypto services across 29 EU countries. AMLA warned that post-MiCA customer migration could strain compliance systems. ESMA’s updated register identifies Ripple Payments Europe SA as an authorized crypto asset service provider, allowing the company’s European payments unit to offer regulated crypto services across 29 EU countries. The authorization follows Ripple’s earlier approval in Luxembourg under the…

Galaxy Digital has signed a 15-year agreement to rename Texas Tech’s football venue Galaxy Stadium from the 2026 season. Summary Galaxy Digital secured naming rights to Texas Tech’s football stadium for 15 years. Galaxy will support AI, digital asset, athlete and workforce programs at the university. The deal expands Galaxy’s presence near its 1.6-gigawatt Helios data center. According to Friday’s announcement, the deal also makes Galaxy the official digital assets and data center partner of Texas Tech Athletics. Financial details were not disclosed. We’re excited to share Galaxy is now the official data center and digital assets partner of @TechAthletics…

Augur has returned with a proposed resolution system and a two-month token migration test as prediction markets draw increased institutional scrutiny. Summary Augur has returned with a decentralized layer for resolving disputed prediction-market outcomes. REP holders are testing the system through a two-month Moon Fork migration. Wall Street banks are tightening employee rules as insider-trading concerns grow. According to a press release shared with crypto.news, the Lituus Foundation announced the relaunch alongside the Augur Lituus whitepaper, which outlines a settlement layer for prediction markets facing disputed outcomes. Under the proposed system, markets could resolve contested events without depending on a…

SpaceX stock has fallen nearly 5% to a post-IPO low of $125 after the company aborted Starship’s 13th test flight shortly before liftoff. Summary SpaceX stock fell nearly 5% to $125, slipping below its $135 IPO price. SpaceX aborted the Starship launch after two Super Heavy booster engines failed to ignite. Elon Musk confirmed engine replacements ahead of another launch attempt scheduled for July 20. SPCX has slipped below its $135 initial public offering price and lost about 35% over the past 30 days. The decline extends a losing streak that began after enthusiasm surrounding SpaceX’s public debut cooled and…