Ben Pasternak, the 26-year-old founder of Solana-based token launchpad Believe, was arrested in New York on charges of second-degree strangulation and assault as the platform’s native token trades 99.8% below its all-time high. A class action lawsuit alleges he systematically extracted $54 million in fees.

French prosecutors have charged 88 people across 12 crypto-related kidnapping cases as France records 41 such attacks in 2026 alone, with the country now accounting for roughly 40% of all crypto ransom attacks across Europe.

Bitcoin developer and Drivechain architect Paul Sztorc announced a new Bitcoin hard fork called eCash, set to launch this August, giving every BTC holder an equal number of eCash coins at the time of the split.

A new report on the state of bitcoin mining in Latam found that the region is lagging in bitcoin mining adoption, even as it holds vast energy resources. While Paraguay holds the fourth place in global hashrate, Hashrate Index picked Brazil and Venezuela as the nations to follow.

An April 23 non-binding opinion from an Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union has found Malta’s Bill 55 incompatible with EU law, marking the second significant setback for the country’s iGaming protection regime in just over a week.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stated that the goal was for 50% of government sectors to operate through autonomous agentic AI. The transition will also include the training of federal employees to “master AI” and will be overseen by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed.

Fold Holdings expanded bitcoin workplace compensation with a new employer bonus program. The rollout turns payroll-linked incentives into a potential distribution channel for everyday BTC adoption.

CFTC insider trading charges against a U.S. Army service member escalate scrutiny of prediction markets. The case raises new legal and national security concerns around event contracts tied to government information.

Singapore police intensified digital asset enforcement with major exchanges targeting scam-related crypto activity. The move strengthens real-time tracking of suspicious blockchain flows as authorities push to curb fraud risks.

The European Central Bank (ECB) established several agreements with Europe’s largest standards setters, including the ECPC, Nexo Standards, and the Berlin Group, to facilitate the use of the digital euro in payment use cases. These partnerships will insert the digital euro into their existing payment systems.

Bitcoin extended its inflow streak with conviction, adding $223 million. However, ether’s rally paused with a $76 million outflow, while XRP and solana posted decent gains.

The U.S. is intensifying its scam center crackdown by targeting Tai Chang money flows and alleged crypto laundering tied to schemes targeting Americans. The actions raise pressure on Southeast Asian fraud networks accused of using online fraud to reach U.S. victims.

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The measure, which would affect international prediction markets, like Polymarket and Kalshi in Brazil, is part of a battle against illegal gambling by President Lula’s Administration. According to a technical note, these platforms would reproduce fixed quota bets, which are already regulated.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed legislation this week, banning all cryptocurrency automated teller machines (ATMs) in the state, making Tennessee the second in the U.S. to do so after Indiana.