Invest ideasNews
21 May 2026, 13:35
Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Maker Foundation Raises $6.4M, Plans Expansion Into AI and Digital Identity
BitcoinWorld Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Maker Foundation Raises $6.4M, Plans Expansion Into AI and Digital Identity Bitcoin hardware wallet company Foundation has secured $6.4 million in a new funding round, signaling a strategic pivot beyond self-custody into artificial intelligence authentication and digital identity. The round was led by Fulgur Ventures, a firm known for backing Bitcoin-focused infrastructure, with additional participation from Arche Capital. Funding Details and Strategic Shift Foundation, best known for its Passport hardware wallet designed specifically for Bitcoin self-custody, announced the raise as part of a broader plan to diversify its product lineup. The company stated that the capital will be used to develop new offerings in AI agent authentication, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and digital identity verification. This marks a notable expansion from its core hardware wallet business, which has catered primarily to Bitcoin maximalists and security-conscious holders. The move comes at a time when the intersection of cryptocurrency security and broader digital identity is gaining traction. As AI agents and automated systems become more prevalent, the need for secure, hardware-backed authentication methods is growing. Foundation’s expertise in building tamper-resistant hardware could give it an edge in this emerging market. Implications for the Bitcoin and Security Markets For the Bitcoin community, this development raises questions about Foundation’s long-term focus. While the company has built a loyal following among Bitcoin users who prioritize self-custody, the expansion into AI and identity suggests a broader commercial ambition. This could be seen as a positive sign of the company’s growth, but it also introduces new competition with established cybersecurity firms. Industry observers note that hardware wallet manufacturers have been exploring adjacent markets to sustain growth. Ledger, for example, has ventured into recovery services and NFT security. Foundation’s approach, however, is distinct in its focus on AI agent authentication—a niche that is still in its early stages but expected to expand rapidly as more businesses deploy autonomous systems. Why This Matters to Readers For consumers, the development means that hardware security devices could soon serve dual purposes: protecting cryptocurrency assets and verifying digital identity across multiple platforms. This could simplify security for users who currently rely on separate devices for different authentication needs. However, it also raises questions about privacy and data handling, especially if Foundation’s hardware becomes a hub for identity verification across various services. From an investment perspective, the funding round signals confidence from venture capital in the broader application of hardware security beyond crypto. Fulgur Ventures’ involvement is particularly notable, as the firm has a track record of backing Bitcoin-native companies that later expand into mainstream technology sectors. Conclusion Foundation’s $6.4 million raise is more than just a funding announcement; it represents a strategic shift that could redefine the role of hardware wallets in the digital economy. By moving into AI authentication and digital identity, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of cryptocurrency security and broader cybersecurity needs. While the core Bitcoin self-custody market remains its foundation, the expansion suggests that hardware security companies are increasingly looking beyond crypto to find sustainable growth. The success of this pivot will depend on execution, regulatory considerations, and whether users trust a single device for both their crypto and identity needs. FAQs Q1: What is Foundation’s main product? Foundation is best known for the Passport, a hardware wallet designed specifically for Bitcoin self-custody. It emphasizes open-source firmware and a focus on Bitcoin-only security. Q2: How will the new funding be used? The $6.4 million will be used to develop products for AI agent authentication, multi-factor authentication, and digital identity verification, expanding beyond the company’s traditional hardware wallet business. Q3: Who led the funding round? The round was led by Fulgur Ventures, a venture capital firm that focuses on Bitcoin and blockchain infrastructure investments. Arche Capital also participated. This post Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Maker Foundation Raises $6.4M, Plans Expansion Into AI and Digital Identity first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
21 May 2026, 13:31
Cardano Leios Testnet Goes Live as ADA Hovers Near Key Support
Cardano price faces a major breakdown amid the formation of an inverted pennant pattern in the daily time-frame chart. Cardano advances the Leios protocol update to live testing for protocol readiness checks. New features such as Endorser Blocks and committee-based validation aim to improve throughput by 10x to 65x. ADA, the native cryptocurrency of the Cardano ecosystem is down 1% during Thursday’s U.S. market hours to trade at $0.246. The price drop aligns with broader crypto market pullback as Bitcoin price rejects from the $78,000 floor. Despite the intact bearish sentiment in the market, the Cardano network continues to progress in its major scalability update— Ouroboros Leios— expected to boost network throughput by 10x to 65x and drive demand pressure to native cryptocurrency ADA. Cardano Advances Leios Protocol Upgrade to Meet Long-Term Scaling Targets Cardano’s blockchain currently processes approximately 800,000 transactions per month. The company’s internal plans call for a goal of more than 27 million monthly transactions by 2030 and maintaining a stable network even as treasury reserves decrease due to transaction fees. The Leios initiative is the main technical initiative to provide the needed capacity growth within the consensus layer. Leios is not replacing Ouroboros Praos, as it builds on the already existing consensus mechanism. The design preserves the security properties of the network, such as safety and liveness guarantees. It adds features like Endorser Blocks and committee-based validation processes that are expected to provide the throughput improvements of anywhere from 10x to 65x of current throughput. The approach is tuned to ensure decentralization requirements and economic viability of the stake pool operators. Development Status and Timeline Leios is considered the biggest technical development project in Input Output’s current development portfolio. The project continues ongoing from a budget cycle that ends in June 2026. The phase provided the combination of CIP-164, initial performance testing on an alpha implementation, and the release of a special public testnet for Leios. The 2026/27 development cycle focuses on further development of the protocol from the prototype phase to mainnet. The teams will develop software that will go through the Software Readiness Levels (SRL) 5 to 8. The effort is divided into 3 main work streams: Release Candidate Development- The Release Candidate track is the primary development stream. It will involve significant engineering changes as part of the major rewrite of consensus components and the incorporation of new Leios block structures designed for the Dijkstra ledger era. Other work to be done includes a full conformance test suite, based on the formal Agda specification, and integrating the new code into the main implementation of the Cardano node. Validation and Security Testing: A parallel validation track emphasizes systematic testing and risk assessment. These activities involve providing a parameter sweep of timing values and size limits, continuous load testing, and adversarial simulations on the public testnet. This includes the development of a new threat model with documented mitigations, stake-based attacks, network-based attacks, and red-teaming. Hard-Form Preparation: The third track focuses on elements of hard-fork readiness for which Input Output has direct control. This includes the stabilization of client interfaces, technical documentation creation with no dependency on specific implementations, and organising workshops for participants of the stake pool and developers, along with coordination with related projects like DB-Sync, Mithril, and Blockfrost. Additional items are testnet hard-fork executions, a plan for graduating parameters on mainnet, contingency plans, and preparation of new guardrails scripts and supporting rationale documents for governance review. These activities are completed and do not need to be linked to a real mainnet release plan. Leadership and Execution Carlos Lopez De Lara and Sebastian Nagel lead the initiative at Input Output. Delivery includes teams of engineers from various disciplines such as consensus protocols, ledger systems, networking, cryptography, node development, API development, performance optimization, tracing, testing, research and formal methods. “We have been researching and prototyping Leios for years. The science is done. Now we deliver it. When this ships, Cardano’s throughput story changes permanently.” said Carlos Lopez De Lara. Expected Technical Outcomes Upon completion, the project will deliver a Leios release candidate, ready for mainnet deployment across subsequent readiness stages. Validation work will produce detailed insights from load testing and adversarial analysis, supported by an updated threat model. Hard-fork preparation tasks will provide the required interfaces, documentation and support for ecosystem participants. The capacity boosts are designed to accommodate increased transaction volumes for additional activity in decentralized finance, real-world asset tokenization, and enterprise solutions. This infrastructure development targets core network metrics, including monthly transaction throughput and sustained operational scalability, while preserving the protocol’s original design principles. The final selections of parameters and their activation will be made after testing phases and community governance processes have been completed. It reflects the ongoing efforts of the Cardano engineering team to get the consensus layer’s performance to match the long-term anticipated needs of the network. Cardano Price May Extend Correction Trend with this Breakdown Over the past three months, the Cardano price has fluctuated in a narrow range between two converging trendlines of the daily chart. Following the January 2026 correction, this current consolidation indicates the formation of a classic bearish continuation pattern called inverted pennant. With today’s price drop, the Cardano ADA -0.40% price is just 1.3% away from challenging the pattern’s support trendline at $0.244. A potential bearish breakdown below the bottom trendline will complete the chart pattern and drive a prolonged correction towards $0.22 support. ADA/USDT -1d chart Alternatively, if the buyers continue to defend the support trendline, the Cardano price will prolong its consolidation within pennant structure till late-May.
21 May 2026, 13:15
Curve Finance to Temporarily Halt UI for Database Upgrade on May 25
BitcoinWorld Curve Finance to Temporarily Halt UI for Database Upgrade on May 25 Curve Finance, a leading decentralized exchange (DEX) for stablecoin trading, has announced a scheduled database upgrade and maintenance window for May 25. The platform confirmed the work is expected to last between 20 minutes and one hour, during which the Curve user interface will be temporarily inaccessible. Planned Maintenance Details The upgrade, disclosed via Curve’s official communication channels, is part of ongoing efforts to improve backend infrastructure. While the user interface will be offline, the underlying smart contracts on the blockchain will continue to operate as normal. Users can still interact with Curve’s pools directly through third-party interfaces or by using the protocol’s smart contract functions during the maintenance window. What This Means for Users For most retail users, the temporary outage means they will be unable to execute trades, add liquidity, or withdraw funds via Curve’s official website for the duration of the upgrade. The platform has advised users to complete any time-sensitive transactions before the maintenance begins. Curve has not indicated whether the upgrade will introduce new features or solely focus on performance and stability improvements. Broader Context for DeFi Protocols Scheduled maintenance is a standard practice for DeFi protocols, though it highlights a tension between the ethos of decentralized, always-available systems and the practical need for backend improvements. Unlike centralized exchanges, which can pause all activity, DeFi protocols often rely on users to understand that the underlying blockchain remains operational even when the front-end is down. This upgrade is a routine but necessary step for Curve to maintain its competitive position as one of the most liquid DEXs in the ecosystem. Conclusion Curve Finance’s database upgrade on May 25 is a routine maintenance event that will temporarily restrict access to the platform’s user interface. Users should plan accordingly and ensure any critical transactions are completed beforehand. The brief downtime is unlikely to have a significant market impact on the CRV token or the broader DeFi sector, but it serves as a reminder of the operational realities behind decentralized protocols. FAQs Q1: Will my funds be at risk during the Curve Finance maintenance? No. Your funds remain secure in the smart contracts. The upgrade only affects the user interface; the blockchain continues to process transactions normally. Q2: Can I still use Curve Finance during the maintenance window? You cannot use the official Curve user interface, but you can interact with Curve’s smart contracts directly through blockchain explorers or compatible third-party interfaces. Q3: Why is Curve Finance performing this upgrade? While Curve has not detailed the specific changes, database upgrades typically improve performance, security, or scalability. The upgrade is part of standard platform maintenance. This post Curve Finance to Temporarily Halt UI for Database Upgrade on May 25 first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
21 May 2026, 13:00
MAP Protocol plunges 96% after quadrillion-token MAPO exploit – Details
MAP Protocol exploit drains liquidity as attacker mints quadrillion tokens, forcing migration to new contract.
21 May 2026, 13:00
The Sandbox Co-Founder’s Wife Survives Alleged Crypto Kidnapping
According to reports, several masked suspects posing as delivery workers attempted to abduct her before neighbors intervened and forced the attackers to flee. Two teenage suspects were later arrested by police and found carrying a fake handgun, zip ties, and balaclavas. France Sees Another Crypto Kidnapping Attempt There has been a kidnapping attempt targeting the wife of Sébastien Borget, co-founder and chief operating officer of The Sandbox. The incident reportedly took place at the couple’s residence in Villenoy, located in the Seine-et-Marne region, and authorities believe the attack may have been connected to the family’s involvement in the crypto industry. According to reports from French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, the attack began when a man disguised as a delivery worker approached the property wearing a branded vest and carrying a cardboard package. When Borget’s wife opened the gate, several hooded individuals allegedly rushed into the courtyard and attempted to forcefully abduct her. The attackers reportedly tried to drag her into a waiting vehicle while she screamed for help. Sébastien Borget The attempted kidnapping was ultimately disrupted by neighbors who heard the victim’s cries and intervened. Their actions forced the suspects to abandon the operation and flee the scene. Reports indicate that four of the suspects escaped in a vehicle, while two others fled on foot and tried to evade authorities by hiding nearby before calling a ride-hailing service. Police from the Meaux Anti-Crime Brigade later intercepted the second vehicle and arrested two suspects connected to the incident. The individuals were identified as teenagers born in 2009 and 2010 from Pantin, a suburb in Seine-Saint-Denis. Authorities reportedly discovered a fake handgun, zip-tie restraints, and balaclavas in their possession. France’s central security directorate has since taken over the investigation. Borget is widely known in the blockchain industry as one of the leading figures behind The Sandbox, an Ethereum-based virtual world platform that allows users to create, own, and monetize gaming experiences using NFTs and the platform’s native SAND token. The company became one of the most recognized names in the metaverse sector during the crypto boom, and attracted major partnerships with global brands, celebrities, and gaming companies. (Source: Certik) French authorities recorded a sharp increase in crypto-related kidnappings and abduction attempts over the past few years. According to the report, 41 kidnappings or attempted abductions tied to cryptocurrencies have already been documented in France since the beginning of 2026. Since 2023, authorities have reportedly recorded 135 such incidents in the country.
21 May 2026, 12:30
Hyperliquid vs. Solana: The Battle for ‘Liquidity King’ in 2026
Hyperliquid’s fully diluted valuation has officially overtaken Solana’s, $50 billion to $56 billion, and the margin, however thin, is the market’s way of saying the ranking has changed. The HYPE token is trading at $58.60, up 20% in 24 hours, while SOL managed just 2.20% on the same session. That divergence in daily momentum is not noise. It is a directional statement from capital allocators who have spent the last 18 months watching a Perp DEX built on its own Mainnet dismantle the assumption that general-purpose L1s own the liquidity narrative. 24h 7d 30d 1y All time Hyperliquid did not arrive here by accident. It launched a purpose-built L1 optimized for low-latency perpetual futures execution, captured institutional attention with sub-second finality, and then structured its token economics to funnel real protocol fees directly back to stakers, at yields that are currently outpacing Solana’s liquid staking derivatives by a meaningful spread. Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with Perp DEX Dominance: How Hyperliquid’s Fee Engine Actually Works, and Why DeFi Liquidity Concentration Is the Real Story Hyperliquid is not a DEX bolted onto a general-purpose chain. It runs on its own L1, purpose-built for high-frequency derivatives execution, with taker fees of 0.045% and maker fees of 0.015% on perpetuals, meaningfully below what most centralized venues charge and structured to attract professional flow rather than retail speculation. The result is a fee engine that has started producing numbers that force direct comparisons with Solana on-chain. Data shows Hyperliquid surpassed Solana in 7-day protocol fees, $12.6 million versus Solana’s $11.8 million, a crossover that would have been dismissed as implausible 12 months ago. Source: Hyperliquid Weekly Fees / DefiLlama Artemis data puts Hyperliquid’s notional volume throughout 2025 at $26 trillion, scaling at a rate that has compressed years of typical DeFi adoption into a single cycle. That ratio matters because it signals that DeFi liquidity on Hyperliquid is active and fee-generating, not passive capital sitting in yield farms waiting for an exit. Solana vs. Hyperliquid: Where Each Chain Actually Stands Against the Other The FDV crossover is real, but this comparison is not uniformly bullish for Hyperliquid across every dimension. Solana’s advantages are structural and deep. The chain processes consumer applications, memecoins, payments infrastructure, and NFT settlement at a scale Hyperliquid has never targeted. Visa, PayPal, and Stripe are all settling on Solana , a fact that speaks to a breadth of institutional integration that a derivatives-first chain simply cannot replicate in the near term. Amundi, Europe’s largest asset manager, has moved to put Solana in the same institutional allocation conversation as Ethereum and Bitcoin, and that institutional adoption story represents a capital channel that is largely independent of who wins the perps volume race. Developer count, validator decentralization, and consumer app diversity all still favor Solana by a significant margin. Source: Solana Weekly Revenue / DefiLlama The backdrop is not uniformly bullish for Hyperliquid, however. Its app-specific L1 model creates concentration risk if perpetual sentiment turns or a competing perp infrastructure emerges at lower cost, Hyperliquid’s moat is narrower than Solana’s by design. Jupiter and Drift on Solana are not standing still, and Solana’s own perp liquidity has been improving as trading activity is now a key battleground for chain relevance. The structural implication for capital allocation is that these are increasingly different bets. Solana is a broad ecosystem play with institutional adoption across payments, consumer apps, and the wider competitive L1 landscape . Hyperliquid is a concentrated bet on derivatives infrastructure capturing an outsized share of DeFi’s highest-margin activity. Both these can be simultaneously correct. They are not playing the same game. Discover: The best pre-launch token sales The post Hyperliquid vs. Solana: The Battle for ‘Liquidity King’ in 2026 appeared first on Cryptonews .
