18 May 2025, 20:20

‘Digital Capitalist’ Has Hot Bitcoin Stock Tip For Q2 Investors

Jeff Walton, a Bitcoin podcaster and Strategy investor, recently pointed out that Strategy (formerly known as MicroStrategy) is on track to join the S&P 500 Index. Strategy Could Soon Join S&P 500 Walton wrote in a post on the X app: Q2 is likely going to be the big blow out quarter on Earnings for $MSTR The quarter ends on 6/30 (52 days from now) The earnings release call will likely be on August 5th / 6th Technically Qualifying $MSTR for the S&P500 The market will react surprised & bewildered… — Jeff Walton (@PunterJeff) May 9, 2025 The S&P 500 is the US stock market benchmark comprised of the 500 largest companies in the United States by total market capitalization. Strategy’s entry onto the index would likely cause its share prices to soar. That’s what happened this week after markets slated Coinbase , the largest US cryptocurrency exchange, to join the S&P 500 with a market cap north of $67 billion. Did Michael Saylor lead the Company to Join Coinbase? Coinbase will enter the broad stock benchmark because Capital One Financial will acquire Discover Financial Services, bumping it off the stock exchanges. After that headline broke, COIN shares flew from under $200 to $266 to close the week. That was an easy 33% gain for shareholders like Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood. The investing maven is very bullish on crypto assets and Coinbase stocks. COIN is the third-largest holding in the ARKK ETF. Walton says Strategy could deliver a similar performance in August if it makes it onto the index. The Bitcoin treasury company guarantees returns on BTC investments to its clients with fixed return corporate bonds that retain the option to convert these notes into Strategy stocks. The company’s founder, MIT graduate Michael Saylor, innovated this strategy to spectacular effect. In April, its stock’s 1-year return on investment surpassed Jim Cramer’s “Magnificent Seven” for market returns. In a more recent update, Saylor informed that MSTR is winning the “financial triple crown” due to its Bitcoin-based strategy. $MSTR is winning the Financial Triple Crown: 1st place this quarter 1st place this year 1st place since adopting the Bitcoin Standard Our @Strategy works because it’s built on $BTC . pic.twitter.com/Leq9LQ6lCq — Michael Saylor (@saylor) May 17, 2025 The post ‘Digital Capitalist’ Has Hot Bitcoin Stock Tip For Q2 Investors appeared first on CryptoPotato .

18 May 2025, 19:37

List of Altcoins to Watch in the Coming Week Published – Here Are the Details

Popular crypto analyst The DeFi Investor has shared his updated watchlist of crypto projects that are expected to see significant developments in the new week. The list includes many important topics, from integrations to legal regulations. Here are the cryptocurrencies that the analyst drew attention to and the expected developments: Mantle (MNT): The project is expected to make a major integration announcement next week. Jupiter (JUP): Jupiter is scheduled to make two major product announcements next week. Avalanche (AVAX): It is stated that the project may make important announcements during the Avalanche Summit, which will start on May 20 in London. Bitcoin (BTC): Rumors are circulating that the US Senate could pass a stablecoin regulation next week. Related News: Analytics Company CEO Warns: “This Altcoin Will Decline in Value Against Bitcoin” Liquity (LQTY): Liquity V2 is scheduled to be available again on May 19th. Solana (SOL): Native wallet support for Solana is coming in May, according to the Metamask co-founder. Official Trump (TRUMP): US President Donald Trump will meet with major TRUMP memecoin holders on May 22. Some of the participants in the closed-door dinner will announce their participation on social media, but most are expected to remain anonymous. Tron (TRX) founder Justin Sun, one of the influential names in the cryptocurrency world, is among the participants. *This is not investment advice. Continue Reading: List of Altcoins to Watch in the Coming Week Published – Here Are the Details

18 May 2025, 19:30

Argentine Judge Orders Financial Disclosure of President Milei in LIBRA Fraud Case

Argentine federal judge María Servini has ordered banks to disclose President Javier Milei’s and his sister Karina’s financial records as part of a probe into an alleged LIBRA cryptocurrency fraud tied to millions in losses. Argentine President Milei Skips Mediation as Judge Seeks Financial Records in Crypto Scam Local media reports that a federal Judge

18 May 2025, 19:06

Russian Court Detains Former Binance Executive and Blum Co-Founder on Fraud Charges

Russian Authorities Arrest Blum Co-Founder in Criminal Fraud Case Russian authorities have arrested Vladimir Smerkis, a co-founder of the tap-to-earn cryptocurrency app Blum and ex-regional head at Binance, in relation to a criminal fraud case. The Moscow Zamoskvoretsky District Court approved a request by investigators to place Smerkis under arrest, according to state news agency TASS. He is under investigation by Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code, which pertains to fraud. The type of charges remains unspecified and thus subject to speculation within both legal and crypto circles. The arrest was formally sanctioned by the court, showing that prosecutors believe that there is sufficient initial evidence to support detention. Smerkis has not issued a statement on the case in the public sphere. Sudden Departure from Blum One day prior to news of the arrest, Blum shared on social media that Smerkis had officially resigned as co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer. “Smerkis no longer involves in the project development or any co-founder position,” the company posted on X (formerly Twitter). The company posted a second statement, thanking him for the work done on the project and reassuring users that its everyday business and development would go on as normal. The timing of the announcement having been made at this point, shortly prior to his arrest, is what brought eyebrows in terms of whether the two incidents are connected or the company had prior knowledge of the probe. What Is Blum? Blum is a Telegram-integrated tap-to-earn (T2E) crypto mini-app that combines gamified earning mechanics with decentralized exchange (DEX) functionality. Created by a team that includes several former Binance executives, Blum seeks to make crypto trading easier and more fun for new and younger consumers. The app is founded on the concept of earning cryptocurrency via meaningful activities and aspires to bring forth a middle ground between casual use of cryptocurrency and higher-level trading. Legal Issues Cast Shadow The arrest of Smerkis is extremely troubling to the Blum project and its backers, even though the company has attempted to distance itself from it. Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code, on which Smerkis is being charged, relates to grand fraud and carries the weight of severe punishment. The generality of information regarding the charges does raise doubts as to whether charges relate to his activity at Blum, Binance, or other commercial undertakings. So far, neither the Russian authorities nor Blum representatives have issued additional statements. The crypto community is watching to see what comes next regarding a case that could have additional ramifications for Russian-based high-level crypto business leaders.

18 May 2025, 18:23

Blum co-founder arrested, GENIUS Act proceeds, Trump’s WLFI integrates Chainlink | Weekly Recap

Today’s edition of the weekly recap covers the arrest of Blum co-founder Vladimir Smerkis, progress on U.S. stablecoin legislation, and World Liberty Financial’s blockchain integration. Russian authorities arrest former Binance exec The Zamoskvoretsky Court of Moscow initiated the arrest of a former Binance executive and co-founder of the Blum tap-to-earn app, Vladimir Smerkis. Per Russian media, the Zamoskvoretsky District Court granted an investigator’s request to detain Smerkis for alleged fraud. Details regarding the charges remain unclear. News of the arrest comes one day after Blum posted on social media that Smerkis has stepped down from his role as CMO. Alabama man sentenced for SEC social media hack A 26-year-old Alabama resident received more than a year in jail for his involvement in the SEC hack The individual used a SIM-swap technique with a fraudulent ID to hijack a phone number connected to the SEC’s account. Stablecoin legislation approaches Senate debate The “Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins” (GENIUS) Act is heading toward debate and potential passage next week despite recent setbacks. Senator Hagerty of Tennessee, the bill’s Republican sponsor, stated that “the Senate will make history” by establishing “the first ever pro-growth regulatory framework for payment stablecoins.” You might also like: Coinbase breach strikes PayPal Mafia royalty, Sequoia Capital boss World Liberty integrates Chainlink for cross-chain capabilities World Liberty Financial announced Friday that its USD1 stablecoin now operates across multiple blockchains through integration with Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP). The announcement came during Consensus 2025 from World Liberty Financial’s team, Chainlink ( LINK ) co-founder Sergey Nazarov, and Eric Trump. French crypto executives face security threats The daughter and grandson of a French crypto exchange CEO were targeted in an unsuccessful kidnapping attempt in Paris, according to France 24’s Tuesday report. Video footage showed three masked individuals attacking a woman and another person before a shop owner intervened with a fire extinguisher. In response to multiple incidents targeting industry figures, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau agreed Friday to implement better security measures for cryptocurrency professionals. You might also like: NFT sales jump 17% to $130.7m, Newcomer collection boasts 470% sales growth DOJ continues case against Tornado Cash developer The Department of Justice announced it will proceed with its case against Roman Storm despite an internal memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. The case has been modified to drop charges related to money-transmitter business registration violations. Judge rejects SEC-Ripple settlement proposal U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres denied a joint request from the SEC and Ripple Labs to approve their settlement. The ruling stated that even if she had jurisdiction, she would still reject the motion. FTX creditors to receive $5 billion distribution The FTX Recovery Trust announced Thursday that creditors will begin receiving over $5 billion in distributions starting May 30. Four classes of creditors will receive payments ranging from 54% to 120% of their original claims, based on the U.S. dollar value of customer holdings at FTX’s November 2022 collapse. You might also like: New XRP ETF hits an inflow record as XRP price wavers Coinbase offers $20 million bounty for blackmail information The cryptocurrency exchange is offering a $20 million reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of individuals who attempted to blackmail the company over stolen user records. According to Coinbase’s blog post, criminals obtained account data for less than 1% of monthly users by bribing overseas support agents. The extortionists demanded $20 million in Bitcoin to prevent releasing sensitive customer information. SEC investigates Coinbase user number disclosures Coinbase confirmed Thursday that the SEC is investigating whether the exchange has misstated its user numbers. The inquiry focuses on the “verified users” metric, which Coinbase has reported as exceeding 100 million in various securities filings and marketing materials. Telegram shuts down massive crypto-fueled black market The messaging platform terminated thousands of accounts linked to Haowang Guarantee (formerly Huione Guarantee) on Monday. This has effectively shut down what has been described as the most prolific crypto-fueled black market online. The network reportedly helped launder over $27 billion across Asia’s cyber scam economy before its removal. DeFi Development Corp. expands Solana treasury The real estate software firm, which has pivoted to building a Solana-focused treasury, purchased 172,670 Solana ( SOL ) worth approximately $23.6 million. The recent announcement revealed the firm purchased SOL at $136.81 each. The company now holds a total of 595,988 SOL. India orders increased surveillance of border region crypto transactions Cryptocurrency platforms operating in India have been instructed to ramp up monitoring of transactions from Jammu and Kashmir and other border areas. The directive forms part of broader government efforts to combat illicit finance and cross-border terrorism funding. Strategy continues aggressive Bitcoin acquisition Strategy, previously MicroStrategy, purchased 13,390 more Bitcoin ( BTC ). It now holds 568,840 BTC. The purchase was made for $1.34 billion between May 5-11. Read more: Hack? SEC probe? Coinbase stock soars despite difficult week

18 May 2025, 17:24

Ripple’s XRP Poised to See Billions in Inflows as XRP, Solana Top 72 ETF Pile on SEC Desk

72 ETF filings are stacked on the SEC’s desk, signaling a rise in investor appetite. XRP and Solana dominate the pile, but meme coins like DOGE and TRUMP are elbowing their way in. New SEC Chair Paul Atkins, who has $6 million in crypto-related investments, faces a high-stakes decision. XRP and Solana Steal the Lead in ETF Filings. Data from Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas reveals the numbers: 72 crypto ETF filings await SEC review. XRP ETF filings top the list with 18 applications. Solana follows close behind with 17. Together, they account for nearly half of the total pile. Why the huge number? XRP’s legal win against the SEC cleared its path, boosting confidence among ETF issuers. On the other hand, Solana’s appeal lies in its lightning-fast blockchain, processing thousands of transactions per second. These stats dwarf Bitcoin and Ethereum, which have dominated past ETF waves. Meme Coin ETFs: Risky Business? The filings take a sharp turn into meme coin territory. DOGE, PENGU, TRUMP, MELANIA, and BONK all have pending ETF applications. Some even propose 2X leveraged funds, doubling the potential reward and risk. Leveraged ETFs amplify returns but magnify losses too. Meme coins, already volatile, could turbocharge this instability. DOGE, for instance, spiked 300% in 2021, then crashed 80% the next year, according to CoinGecko. Paul Atkins is the SEC’s new chair as of January 2025. His financial disclosures, filed in late 2024, show $6 million in crypto-related investments. This hefty stake raises eyebrows. Atkins’ holdings signal a personal tie to the market he now regulates. Analysts wonder how this shapes his view on the 72 filings. The SEC’s mandate—protecting investors—remains his north star, but his portfolio adds a layer of intrigue. No specifics on his assets are public, leaving analysts to parse the implications. These ETF filings could reshape crypto’s future. Approval might draw billions in institutional cash. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, launched in 2024, pulled in $10 billion in its first six months. XRP and Solana ETFs could follow suit. But meme coin ETFs pose a dilemma. Their approval might legitimize speculative assets, luring retail investors. Critics, like SEC veteran John Reed Stark, warn of “market chaos” in a 2023 tweet. Leverage only heightens the stakes. The SEC’s track record offers clues. Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs got the green light in 2024 after years of rejections. This shift suggests a thaw in regulatory frost, but meme coins may test that limit.