Escalating geopolitical tensions and cyberattacks have rocked the crypto sector, as a pro-Israeli hacker group stole $90 million from Iran's Nobitex exchange and leaked its source code, prompting Iran to impose strict curfews on crypto activity after a $100 million cyberattack. Meanwhile, a mega breach exposing 16 billion passwords and targeted phishing attacks on industry professionals have heightened security concerns across the digital asset landscape.
Crypto exchange KuCoin has introduced a new feature allowing institutional clients to trade without the need to pre-fund their wallets. This move aims to provide a trading experience similar to that of traditional finance (TradFi) platforms.
OKX has partnered with Consensys to integrate its DEX aggregator into MetaMask, enabling users to access over 500 decentralized exchanges and benefit from new MEV protection through SERVO.
Centralized cryptocurrency exchanges are increasingly integrating decentralized finance (DeFi) functionalities, such as pre-trade rules on platforms like Uniswap, to combine regulatory compliance with the composability benefits of DeFi protocols.
X is moving forward with plans to become a super app by introducing in-app trading and investment features, challenging platforms like Robinhood. The company is also exploring integrated financial services, which could potentially include cryptocurrency, aligning with the interests of its user base and leadership.
KuCoin has partnered with BitGo Singapore via the Go Network to advance its $2 billion Trust Project, enabling institutional clients to settle spot, options, and futures trades off-exchange. This arrangement allows trades without pre-funding, as assets remain in regulated custody with $250 million in insurance coverage, reducing counterparty risk.
Matchain has launched its $MAT token, now available for trading on major exchanges including Binance Alpha, Kraken, Bitget, Gate.io, KuCoin, and Bitpanda. The token aims to enable both Web2 and Web3 users to own, verify, and monetize their data, emphasizing user control over identity and data ownership.
Crypto is positioned not merely as a technological innovation or speculative asset, but as a means to restore dignity and agency to individuals excluded from traditional financial systems.
Corporate crypto treasury bubble risks, including potential liquidation or collapse, remain real but are more complex and nuanced than in previous boom-and-bust cycles, according to Presto Research.
Tokenized private credit has become a major segment in the real-world asset (RWA) tokenization market, with active outstanding loans reaching $13.88 billion. This figure significantly surpasses the $7.38 billion in tokenized U.S. Treasuries.
The altcoin winter could continue as the sector faces significant obstacles, including low liquidity, Bitcoin's increasing dominance during periods of geopolitical instability, and severe market dilution.
Decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms present opportunities for democratized financial services but also entail considerable risks. Tobias van Amstel highlights that users, regardless of experience level, can better manage the complexities of DeFi lending by adhering to a disciplined set of three rules.
Earlier this week, the GENIUS Act, a major crypto bill, passed the US Senate with bipartisan support, becoming the first significant cryptocurrency legislation to advance this far in the US. Following the Senate vote on Tuesday, prediction platform Polymarket launched a market for the bill, giving it an 89% chance of becoming law. The timeline for its enactment remains uncertain.
The head of South Korea's central bank reportedly stated he is not opposed to the issuance of a won-pegged stablecoin, though he expressed caution regarding potential foreign exchange concerns.
South Korea's financial regulator has submitted plans to launch spot cryptocurrency ETFs and won-based stablecoins, with an implementation roadmap for local crypto ETFs expected in the second half of 2025, according to the Financial Services Commission (FSC).
Russia's digital ruble is on track for widespread adoption by 2026, driven by expanded pilot programs, increasing user participation, and strengthened infrastructure, signaling a major shift in the country's financial landscape.
South Korea's newly elected president, Lee Jae-myung, has reportedly pledged to reduce cryptocurrency trading transaction fees as part of his presidential campaign, prompting authorities to investigate fee structures at local crypto exchanges.
Russia announced that 70% of cryptocurrency miners have not registered with tax authorities, despite the introduction of new regulations. The government plans to implement stricter measures and increase penalties to encourage compliance among crypto mining businesses.
Hackers identifying as Gonjeshke Darande, a pro-Israeli group, exploited Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, stealing nearly $90 million in what they described as a politically motivated attack aimed at disrupting Iran's use of crypto to evade sanctions. Following the hack, the group released Nobitex's full source code, escalating risks for the platform's users and intensifying tensions amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The hackers reportedly burned the stolen funds, and the incident comes shortly after another major crypto exchange exploit in the industry.
A massive data breach has exposed 16 billion passwords and login credentials from major platforms including Apple, Google, Facebook, Telegram, and GitHub, according to researchers at Cybernews. The leak, which includes over 30 previously unreported data dumps, has raised serious concerns within the crypto community, as the compromised information could be used by hackers for phishing, wallet theft, and identity fraud. Crypto users are considered particularly at risk, with experts warning that the breach provides attackers with the data needed to exploit digital assets.
Crypto venture capital firm a16z has recovered its official X account after hackers took control and used it to promote a fraudulent Solana-based token. The incident is part of a growing trend of cryptocurrency-related social media attacks on prominent accounts in 2025.
Blockchain analysts ZachXBT and Taylor Monahan report that crypto scammers are becoming more active, citing the US regulators' decisions to drop crypto-related court cases and the endorsement of memecoins by politicians as factors emboldening illicit activity in the sector.
North Korean threat actors are posing as recruiters from companies like Coinbase and Uniswap to target blockchain professionals with a new Python-based trojan called "PylangGhost." According to Cisco Talos, the hackers use fake crypto job sites and hiring scams to deploy the malware, which is designed to steal wallet credentials from victims.
Mehdi Farooq, an investment partner at Hypersphere, reported losing six cryptocurrency wallets and years of savings after being targeted in a phishing attack involving a fraudulent Zoom call.
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