hodler

22 May 2026, 09:39

ZachXBT flags $520K Polymarket exploit on Polygon, team says funds are safe

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has highlighted a suspected security breach involving Polymarket, the world’s largest decentralized prediction market platform.

22 May 2026, 09:16

Ripple Joins SwissHacks as Challenge Sponsor to Supercharge Payments, FX & AI Agents in the XRP Ledger Ecosystem

Ripple Backs SwissHacks 2026 as Challenge Sponsor, Bringing XRP Ledger Innovation to Finance, Payments, and AI SwissHacks 2026 is emerging as one of Europe’s most closely watched fintech hackathons, reflecting a clear shift from experimentation toward building real financial infrastructure. According to Tenity, a global innovation platform focused on scaling early-stage financial technology, the event will take place in Zurich from June 19–21, bringing together developers, financial institutions, and investors for 48 hours of intensive, problem-driven building. A key headline this year is the participation of Ripple as a Challenge Sponsor, introducing three focused tracks built around enhancing the XRP Ledger (XRPL) use cases. The Payments & FX track targets near-instant cross-border settlement, the Credit & Lending track explores onchain credit markets and tokenized lending models, and the AI Agents for Finance track looks at autonomous financial systems designed with compliance built in from the start. Private banking group Julius Baer is also backing a challenge aimed at rethinking digital banking experiences. The focus is on building more intuitive, secure, and relationship-driven platforms for wealth management clients, particularly in the high-net-worth segment. SwissHacks 2026 Showcases XRP Ledger’s Growing Role in the Future of Finance The broader institutional backdrop adds weight to the event’s direction. Investment firm VanEck has highlighted the XRP Ledger as a network increasingly capable of supporting meaningful settlement volumes alongside established financial rails such as SWIFT, DTCC, and JPMorgan Chase. Well, this framing reflects a growing view that blockchain is moving from an alternative system to underlying infrastructure that can integrate with traditional finance. Outside institutional pilots, real-world use cases are beginning to surface. QR-based payment systems such as those being developed by Frii World are working toward enabling instant in-store spending of XRP and RLUSD, signaling a shift toward everyday retail utility. Security is also part of the XRPL’s agenda. Ripple and Project Eleven recently collaborated on post-quantum security research for the XRP Ledger, reflecting growing attention to long-term cryptographic resilience. For the keen eye, the mix of institutional backing, active developer challenges, and emerging real-world payment use cases positions SwissHacks 2026 more as a live test of the next phase of the XRP Ledger.

22 May 2026, 09:00

CLARITY Act Under Fire As Hayes Presses Trump To Shut It Down

Brian Armstrong’s role in the crypto regulation push became a flashpoint when BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes called out the Coinbase CEO by name during a recent interview. Hayes said Armstrong is acting in the best interest of his shareholders — not the wider crypto community. Hayes Flags Growing Crypto Divide Amid CLARITY Act Debate Hayes made the remarks on The Wolf Of All Streets, where he spoke at length about the proposed CLARITY Act and what he sees as a growing disconnect between large crypto companies and everyday users. He questioned whether big corporate players truly look out for retail investors or open-source developers, suggesting their priorities lie elsewhere. Hayes drew a sharp line between institutional interest in crypto and what he believes Bitcoin was built for. Banks, he said, are moving into the space because their clients want protection against inflation and the erosion of fiat currency — not because they believe in what crypto stands for. Arthur Hayes: Trump Should Veto the CLARITY Act BitMEX founder Arthur Hayes @CryptoHayes said in a May 13 interview with The Wolf Of All Streets that he hopes Trump vetoes the CLARITY Act. He argued that if Bitcoin and crypto need regulation to survive, they are “not worth a… pic.twitter.com/BRTjUMksD6 — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) May 20, 2026 Bitcoin’s track record during periods of heavy money printing is what draws institutional money in, according to Hayes, but that interest comes with strings attached. When Regulation Becomes The Problem Hayes wants US President Donald Trump to veto the CLARITY Act if it reaches his desk. His argument is straightforward: regulation was never the thing keeping crypto alive, and it should not be treated as a lifeline now. Turning Bitcoin into a product managed by traditional financial institutions — wrapped in derivatives and held on bank balance sheets — strips it of the very thing that makes it different, Hayes said. He challenged the idea that crypto needs a seat at the traditional finance table. If the end result is just another financial instrument sitting inside the existing system, Hayes argued, then nothing has really changed. The crypto industry already has that in other forms. A Divided Industry The debate over the CLARITY Act reflects a split that has been building inside the crypto world for some time. Those in favor of the legislation believe clear rules would bring credibility and attract more institutional money into digital assets. Hayes sits firmly on the other side, warning that too much integration with mainstream finance could hollow out what makes decentralized systems worth building in the first place. No veto has been issued. The CLARITY Act continues to move through the legislative process, and the industry remains divided on which path leads to a stronger future for crypto. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

22 May 2026, 08:52

Near Protocol to automate its own growth and its token is skyrocketing

Near Protocol will introduce dynamic resharding in June, allowing the blockchain to automatically add shards as demand grows without human intervention.

22 May 2026, 08:04

Payment Gateway Frii World Ignites Instant Real-World XRP & RLUSD Spending via QR Codes

Frii World Brings XRP & RLUSD Into Real-World Retail via QR Code and Merchant Terminals The push to bring crypto into everyday retail payments just took a major leap forward after Frii World confirmed that users will soon be able to spend XRP and RLUSD instantly at checkout using simple QR code payments. The breakthrough gained attention following a successful live test on a Frii World terminal, where former Ripple CTO David Schwartz executed the first direct XRP Ledger (XRPL) transaction. More notably, the test showed that XRPL payments can run on existing merchant hardware without requiring businesses to overhaul their current systems. Frii World’s setup relies on over-the-air updates, enabling compatible payment terminals to support XRPL transactions with minimal integration work for merchants. The result is fast settlement times, lower fees, and a more seamless checkout experience for both businesses and customers. According to the company, this marks a shift toward real-world utility for blockchain payments, positioning XRP and RLUSD as practical options at point-of-sale rather than just digital assets held for trading or transfer. XRPL Momentum Builds Ahead of Cancun 2026 as Frii World Brings XRP & RLUSD Payments Into Real-World Use Cases Momentum within the ecosystem is also building ahead of XRPL Cancun 2026 , where developers and builders are expected to showcase new innovations around the XRP Ledger. Well, Frii World terminals are already being used to purchase event tickets in XRP and RLUSD, offering an early example of the technology in real-world use. Frii World described the milestone as the beginning of “a new era of global payments and digital finance,” crediting Schwartz’s contributions to the XRPL ecosystem as instrumental in advancing adoption and practical utility. Broader XRP Ledger activity is also accelerating. Recent integrations have seen an AI Healthcare platform on the XRPL introduce XRP and RLUSD swap features to improve accessibility, while ongoing discussions around clearer regulatory frameworks and structured crypto market rules continue to fuel optimism about long-term adoption. Furthermore, RLUSD recently stunned the market after recording the largest mint in XRPL history. What’s the takeaway? Well, these developments point to a growing shift that the XRP Ledger is steadily moving beyond speculation and positioning itself closer to real-world financial infrastructure.

22 May 2026, 08:02

XRP Validator: Ethereum Community Is In Turmoil Right Now. Here’s What Happened

Top XRP Ledger validator Vet (@Vet_X0) recently hinted at what is currently happening within the Ethereum community. He wrote, “The Ethereum community is in turmoil right now.” The message drew significant attention from the crypto community, and the full story is intriguing as Ethereum is facing a significant change. Vet followed up with some detail, revealing that “few big names sold their ETH holdings and very senior people left the Ethereum Foundation.” The departures created a wave of commentary across the community about the state of Ethereum. Few big names sold their ETH holdings and very senior people left the Ethereum Foundation. Created a vortex of people giving their take on the state of Ethereum — Vet (@Vet_X0) May 21, 2026 The Exodus That Started It All The Ethereum Foundation has lost at least eight senior staff members in 2026. Tim Beiko, Barnabé Monnot, Carl Beek, Julian Ma, Trent Van Epps, and Alex Stokes all departed within months of each other. Former co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak resigned in February after less than a year in the role. Josh Stark left in March after seven years. The Foundation has offered no public explanation for the exits. Despite some bullish expectations from analysts , the silence is fueling negative speculation across the community about leadership direction and internal culture. XRP Community Voices React The replies to Vet’s post hit across the community. Prominent crypto journalist Laura Shin weighed in, arguing that Ethereum’s problems stem from neglecting tokenomics in its development decisions since the Dencun upgrade in 2024 . While Dencun benefited from Layer 2 activity, it also reduced fee revenue flowing back to ETH holders. Ethereum prioritized scaling over building a strong economic model for ETH itself, and things have spiraled since. Another commenter pointed to statements Vitalik Buterin made years ago about Ethereum’s scaling approach, arguing the current situation was visible long before it arrived. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 XRP Moves Into Position Not everyone in the replies focused on what Ethereum loses. One commenter pointed directly at the competitive picture, stating , “No, they’re just setting up for XRP to flip them in the next month or two.” That comment reflects a growing sentiment in the XRP community. Ethereum’s leadership instability arrives at a time when XRP is gaining institutional traction . The XRPL is expanding into tokenized assets and stablecoins. A sustained loss of confidence in Ethereum’s direction could accelerate capital rotation toward competing networks. Experts have predicted for years that XRP will flip Ethereum . The turmoil at the Ethereum Foundation presents a major opportunity for XRP to regain its position as the second-largest cryptocurrency. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post XRP Validator: Ethereum Community Is In Turmoil Right Now. Here’s What Happened appeared first on Times Tabloid .