hodler

9 May 2026, 12:23

FBI, UAE shut down nine same centers, arrest 276 suspects in international sting

The FBI, along with UAE officials, has run an extensive international law enforcement operation targeting fraud schemes involving crypto that targeted US citizens, causing losses totaling millions of dollars. According to reports, this crackdown led to 276 arrests, shut down 9 scam centers, and rescued thousands of trafficked individuals who were coerced into forced labor. International operation shuts down 9 scam centers According to Kash Patel , the FBI Director, this operation was spearheaded by Dubai Police, under the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Chinese government. Those involved in the scams were arrested in Dubai and Thailand. Most of those arrested were nationals of Burma and Indonesia. According to Kash Patel, the FBI’s San Diego division played a role in organizing the cooperation on the US side. The authorities have brought a series of federal charges, including wire fraud and money laundering charges, against a number of suspects in American courts. Additionally, the agencies seized assets linked to the scams, including more than $701 million in cryptocurrencies. How the crypto scam and human trafficking went down According to the FBI and the DOJ, the fraud scheme used a technique known as “ pig butchering ” or “romance baiting.” The scammers used social media platforms and messaging apps to gain their targets’ trust over weeks or even months by creating false identities, such as romantic or friendship relationships. After gaining their victims’ trust, they introduced them to crypto schemes that involved setting up fake websites that showed artificial profits. The illegal trade craft was strongly connected to human trafficking. Foreigners were enticed by the promise of well-paid job opportunities, but forced at gunpoint to man the scamming facilities in slave-like fashion. The FBI has identified nearly 9,000 people who have become victims of similar crypto schemes and believes that proactive warnings via Operation Level Up are necessary. The operation was launched in January 2024 and, by April 2026, had been credited with saving victims approximately $562 million. Named criminals charged in American courts Some of those indicted on the charges of federal fraud and money laundering are Thet Min Nyi, aged 27, who is said to have acted as a manager and recruiter in Ko Thet Company; Wiliang Awang, aged 23; Andreas Chandra, aged 29; Lisa Mariam, aged 29; and two other co-conspirators who are at large. The accused were either managing, working, or recruiting employees for three corporations: Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company, all of which operated several scam centers. However, two separate indictments have been issued against Jiang Wen Jie (also known as Jiang Nan) and Huang Xingshan (also known as Ah Zhe or Huang Xing Saan) for their participation in the Shunda scam center based in Min Let Pan, Myanmar. The arrests took place in 2026, before the duo set foot in Thailand from Cambodia. The measures involved closing a Telegram account (@pogojobhiring2023) with more than 6,500 subscribers, which was used to recruit victims into the Cambodia-based fraud center via 503 fraudulent investment sites. Tech platforms ramp up protections to save users According to the operations data, Meta Platforms contributed significantly to the data that helped the investigators identify the networks. In 2025 alone, the company removed over 159 million scam ads from its platform and shut down 10.9 million accounts used for fraudulent purposes. As part of the combined initiative, Meta shut down another 150,000 accounts associated with these networks. According to Chris Sonderby, Meta’s vice president and deputy general counsel, the company remains committed to combating fraud through measures across its platforms. These security measures include new warnings about fake friend requests on Facebook, blocking unauthorized access to accounts on WhatsApp, and identifying common characteristics of scams in Messenger. Recently, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on Cambodian Senator Kok An and his accomplices, including those associated with the K99 Group, which runs centers for fraud and money laundering, among other crimes. The Cambodian legislature has also enacted a new law that imposes a penalty of 5 to 10 years’ imprisonment, with fines up to $250,000. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .

9 May 2026, 12:10

Bitcoin Options Traders Signal Confidence as Dip Below $80,000 Seen as Short-Lived Correction

BitcoinWorld Bitcoin Options Traders Signal Confidence as Dip Below $80,000 Seen as Short-Lived Correction Bitcoin’s recent slide below $80,000 has triggered a wave of speculation, but data from the options market suggests that professional traders are treating this pullback as a temporary pause rather than the start of a prolonged downturn. According to a report by CryptoSlate on May 9, key indicators from options trading, volatility, and on-chain metrics point to a market undergoing a healthy correction, not a full-blown capitulation. Options Market Sentiment Shifts Toward Optimism While spot market selling pressure has shown signs of easing, the options market is telling a different story. Implied volatility, which had dropped to its lowest level since October 2025, has recently surged—a signal that traders are pricing in larger expected price swings. More importantly, the 25-delta skew, a measure of the relative demand between call options (bullish bets) and put options (bearish hedges), is rapidly normalizing. This shift indicates that traders are reducing their downside protection while demand for upside exposure continues to grow. The normalization of the skew is particularly telling. In a bearish market, the skew typically widens as traders rush to buy puts. The current trend suggests that the worst of the selling pressure may be behind us, and that market participants are positioning for a recovery. What the Data Tells Us About the Correction On-chain analysis supports the options market’s view. Metrics such as exchange inflows and realized capitalization show that long-term holders are not panic-selling. Instead, the dip appears to be driven by short-term speculators and leveraged positions being flushed out—a pattern consistent with past corrections that preceded renewed upward momentum. The combination of rising implied volatility and a normalizing skew is a classic setup for a volatility event, but in this case, the direction leans bullish. Traders are essentially paying a premium for the possibility of a sharp move higher, rather than hedging against further downside. Why This Matters for Bitcoin Investors For retail and institutional investors alike, the options market often serves as a leading indicator. The current data suggests that the dip below $80,000 may be a buying opportunity rather than a signal to exit. However, the market remains sensitive to macroeconomic factors, including regulatory developments and Federal Reserve policy, which could still influence Bitcoin’s trajectory in the coming weeks. The correction also highlights the growing sophistication of the crypto derivatives market. Unlike previous cycles, where retail panic dominated, the current reaction shows a more measured approach from professional traders who use options to manage risk and express directional views. Conclusion Bitcoin’s dip below $80,000 appears to be a short-lived correction based on options market data. Implied volatility is rising, the 25-delta skew is normalizing, and on-chain metrics indicate that long-term holders remain steady. While the broader market outlook still depends on external factors, the derivatives market is signaling confidence that the worst may be over. Traders should monitor these indicators closely as they provide a real-time gauge of professional sentiment. FAQs Q1: What does the 25-delta skew indicate about Bitcoin’s price direction? A1: The 25-delta skew measures the relative demand for out-of-the-money call options versus put options. A normalizing skew suggests traders are reducing bearish hedges and increasing demand for upside exposure, which is often a bullish signal. Q2: Why is implied volatility important for Bitcoin options traders? A2: Implied volatility reflects the market’s expectation of future price swings. A surge in implied volatility, especially after a period of lows, indicates that traders anticipate larger price movements, which can be a precursor to a trend change. Q3: Is this Bitcoin correction different from previous ones? A3: Yes. Unlike past corrections driven by retail panic, this one is characterized by professional traders using options to manage risk. On-chain data shows long-term holders are not selling, suggesting a more mature market response. This post Bitcoin Options Traders Signal Confidence as Dip Below $80,000 Seen as Short-Lived Correction first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

9 May 2026, 11:35

Bitcoin vs. The Hantavirus: Is BTC Bracing for Another ‘Black Swan’ Event?

It’s like a few wars, rising inflation, and global uncertainty are not enough these days. Now, the world needs to pay attention to another health hazard that made the news in the past few weeks: the Hantavirus, and, more precisely, the Andes virus. Aside from the potential threats it poses to human life (which we will explore later in the article), the question raised by some analysts is whether it will affect BTC as COVID did six years ago. Will History Repeat? For those of our readers who might not have been around the March 2020 developments, here’s a quick recap. BTC was coming out of a long bear market, but it had failed to stage a meaningful recovery in 2019, and all eyes were on 2020 as a halving year, which historically served as a major catalyst for future gains. However, it all changed when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, especially since it was categorized as a global hazard in March. Over a two-day trading session, BTC plummeted from over $8,000 to a multi-year low of $3,750. Analysts such as Crypto Rover have now speculated on a similar calamity if the Hantavirus explodes. The analyst with over 1.5 million followers on X noted that the mortality rate for COVID was 1%, while the Hantavirus’s is at 40%, which could spell a lot more trouble for everyone. WARNING: THE COVID-LIKE $BTC DUMP IS ABOUT TO REPEAT?? COVID mortality rate: ~1% Hantavirus mortality rate: ~40% The WHO says this likely won’t become the next pandemic. I don’t think so either. But they said the same thing about COVID. Eyes on Bitcoin. pic.twitter.com/F0Dar9gN0n — Crypto Rover (@cryptorover) May 8, 2026 The Differences The history of this version of the Hantavirus, according to National Geographic, shows that it stemmed from South America and caused significant harm on a Dutch cruise ship, including several deaths so far. It comes from the Hantaviridae family of viruses, carried by rodents. In most of its versions, it cannot be transferred human-to-human. However, this particular one, which the WHO called the Andes virus, is the only known hantavirus that can jump from human to human. Some experts said its spread is “not particularly efficient,” unlike measles and COVID, which can be transferred by viruses lingering in the air after an infected person has left the room. Andes spreads only by close contact. “So, when you have people sleeping in the same bed, or sex partners, or people sharing food, the virus can transmit that way. But it doesn’t transmit to huge groups of individuals,” said Steven Bradfute, an immunologist and hantavirus researcher at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Nevertheless, Bradfute, alongside other experts, such as Dr. Emily Abdoler, believes this virus should not be a main concern for most people as its spread will not be anything like COVID. “I’m doing these interviews as a public service to try to reassure people that this shouldn’t be on their top 100 list of worries,” said Dr. Abdoler. Hopefully, that’s true. Because we have heard similar reassurances even with COVID, which was not supposed to become a global pandemic at first. But, even if they are true (again, hopefully it’s not such a big threat), that doesn’t guarantee that markets won’t panic and overblow the potential consequences, leading to another major BTC dip. The post Bitcoin vs. The Hantavirus: Is BTC Bracing for Another ‘Black Swan’ Event? appeared first on CryptoPotato .

9 May 2026, 11:30

Sydney Huang Warns AI Bot Collusion Could Spread Before Regulators Respond

With AI-to-AI commerce expected to increase the velocity of money, central banks may find themselves unable to react to machine-speed inflation or flash crashes. Experts suggest that regulation must be embedded directly into the code to prevent cascading failures. The End of Policy ‘Lag’ According to an April 2026 International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, the

9 May 2026, 10:02

Banks Are Minting USD on XRP Ledger. Here’s the Latest

The expansion of real-world asset activity on the XRP Ledger is beginning to reveal new trends involving stablecoins, banks, and tokenized finance. A recent exchange between crypto lawyer Bill Morgan and software engineer Vincent Van Code focused on one development that surprised many observers tracking XRPL adoption: the growing supply of bank-issued USD stablecoins on the network. The discussion started after Bill Morgan reviewed the latest XRP Ledger real-world asset league tables and noticed that RLUSD was not the only major dollar-backed stablecoin operating on XRPL. According to the data he shared, Braza USDB had reached a supply of approximately $90 million on the network, placing it among the larger tokenized assets currently issued on the ledger. Banks are minting USD on XRPL. So wait, even less use of XRP. EXCEPT, all these USD stablecoins at some point need to interchange right? One bank has USDB, another USDG, another RLUSD. Then you get into it, LPs/AM, dex, and guess what the swap denominator (aka bridge) will be… https://t.co/GYbdWfhyIN — Vincent Van Code (@vincent_vancode) May 8, 2026 Bill Morgan Highlights Braza USDB Activity on XRPL In his post on X , Bill Morgan said he was surprised to discover the size of the Braza USDB supply on XRPL. He explained that the stablecoin is minted by a Braza Group entity that operates as a licensed foreign exchange bank regulated by Brazil’s central bank. Morgan pointed out that the entire reported supply of roughly $90 million exists on XRPL. He contrasted this with RLUSD, which currently has issuance across multiple blockchain networks, including Ethereum. His comments focused mainly on the significance of a regulated financial institution choosing XRPL as the sole network for the stablecoin’s issuance. The image attached to Morgan’s post showed the “XRP Ledger RWA League Table,” where RLUSD ranked first with a reported value of $396.7 million, followed by Ondo at $323.2 million. Braza Crypto appeared fourth on the table with a reported value of $90 million and a 30-day increase of 17.28%. Vincent Van Code Says XRP Could Become the Bridge Asset Responding to Morgan’s observations, Vincent Van Code addressed concerns that growing stablecoin issuance on XRPL could reduce XRP’s importance within the ecosystem. He initially acknowledged the argument by writing, “Banks are minting USD on XRPL. So wait, even less use of XRP.” However, he quickly shifted to what he believes is the more important long-term implication. According to Vincent, the existence of multiple bank-issued dollar stablecoins on XRPL could eventually increase the need for interoperability between them. He explained that different institutions may issue their own versions of dollar-backed assets, including USDB, USDG, and RLUSD. Once those assets need to interact across liquidity pools, automated market makers, and decentralized exchanges, a bridge asset may become necessary to facilitate swaps. Vincent argued that XRP is positioned to serve that role . In his post, he suggested that XRP could become the denominator to connect liquidity for stablecoins on XRPL. His comment reflects a view held by some XRP supporters who believe stablecoin growth on XRPL does not directly compete with XRP , but instead increases the network activity that could require XRP-based liquidity solutions in the future. 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 Banks Are Minting USD on XRP Ledger. Here’s the Latest appeared first on Times Tabloid .

9 May 2026, 08:25

Bitdeer Sells All Mined Bitcoin Again This Week, Maintaining Zero-Treasury Stance

BitcoinWorld Bitdeer Sells All Mined Bitcoin Again This Week, Maintaining Zero-Treasury Stance Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin mining company Bitdeer has once again sold all the Bitcoin it mined during the past week, continuing a strategy that has seen the firm hold no Bitcoin on its balance sheet since February. The company reported mining 193.8 BTC this week and confirmed the entire amount was sold. Bitdeer’s Zero-Bitcoin Treasury Strategy Bitdeer’s decision to sell its entire mined Bitcoin output immediately, rather than accumulating a treasury, marks a clear departure from the strategy of many publicly traded miners such as MicroStrategy and Marathon Digital Holdings, which have historically held large Bitcoin reserves. Bitdeer has maintained this approach since February, prioritizing cash flow and operational liquidity over potential long-term price appreciation. The company has stated that the proceeds from these sales are used to fund operations, expand mining infrastructure, and manage debt obligations. Market and Industry Implications The consistent selling by a major Nasdaq-listed miner can have a subtle but persistent effect on Bitcoin market dynamics. While 193.8 BTC is a relatively modest amount compared to daily trading volumes, the regularity of these sales from a known public entity adds a layer of predictable supply to the market. This contrasts with the broader trend among some miners who are now holding more Bitcoin in anticipation of the next halving cycle. Analysts note that Bitdeer’s strategy may be a pragmatic response to the company’s specific capital structure and operational costs, rather than a bearish signal on Bitcoin’s future price. Why This Matters to Investors For investors and industry observers, Bitdeer’s consistent selling pattern provides a clear data point on miner behavior. It highlights the diverse financial strategies within the mining sector, where some firms prioritize immediate cash flow while others bet on future price increases. Understanding these strategies is crucial for assessing the overall health and supply dynamics of the Bitcoin network. Bitdeer’s approach also underscores the importance of operational efficiency and cost management in the capital-intensive mining industry. Conclusion Bitdeer’s continued sale of its weekly mined Bitcoin reinforces its commitment to a zero-treasury strategy, a distinctive position among major publicly traded miners. The company’s focus on liquidity and operational funding provides a real-world case study in miner treasury management. As the industry evolves post-halving, Bitdeer’s approach will remain a relevant example of prioritizing short-term financial stability over long-term Bitcoin accumulation. FAQs Q1: Why does Bitdeer sell all its mined Bitcoin immediately? A1: Bitdeer sells its mined Bitcoin to fund operational expenses, expand mining infrastructure, and manage debt, prioritizing cash flow over holding a Bitcoin treasury. Q2: How much Bitcoin did Bitdeer mine and sell this week? A2: Bitdeer mined and sold 193.8 BTC this week, continuing its practice of not retaining any mined Bitcoin. Q3: Is Bitdeer’s strategy common among other mining companies? A3: No, it is less common among large public miners. Many firms like Marathon Digital and Riot Platforms hold significant Bitcoin reserves, while Bitdeer has maintained a zero-Bitcoin treasury since February. This post Bitdeer Sells All Mined Bitcoin Again This Week, Maintaining Zero-Treasury Stance first appeared on BitcoinWorld .