hodler

9 Jun 2026, 09:10

Zcash Sets July Deadline for Ironwood Upgrade to Patch Critical Minting Flaw

BitcoinWorld Zcash Sets July Deadline for Ironwood Upgrade to Patch Critical Minting Flaw Zcash (ZEC) developers have formally agreed to deploy a network upgrade named “Ironwood” to address a critical vulnerability discovered in the protocol’s Orchard shielded pool. The flaw, if exploited, could allow an attacker to mint an unlimited number of ZEC tokens, undermining the cryptocurrency’s supply cap and user trust. Timeline and Scope of the Ironwood Upgrade The Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL), the primary development team behind the privacy-focused cryptocurrency, is targeting activation of the new shielded pool by the end of July. According to details first reported by The Block, the upgrade will close the existing Orchard pool to new deposits once Ironwood goes live. Users holding funds in the current Orchard pool will need to migrate their assets to the new pool to maintain full functionality and security. The decision to move swiftly reflects the severity of the bug. While no public reports of exploitation have been confirmed, the potential for infinite minting represents a fundamental economic threat to Zcash’s fixed supply of 21 million coins, a feature shared with Bitcoin. Technical Background: The Orchard Pool Vulnerability The Orchard pool, introduced in the NU5 upgrade in May 2022, is Zcash’s most advanced shielded transaction system. It uses Halo 2, a zero-knowledge proving system that eliminates the need for a trusted setup. The flaw reportedly lies in the pool’s note commitment logic, which could allow a malicious actor to create counterfeit notes that the network would accept as legitimate. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous for privacy coins like Zcash, where transaction data is encrypted. Detecting abnormal minting activity in shielded pools is far more difficult than on transparent blockchains, making swift patching essential. Implications for ZEC Holders and the Broader Market For current ZEC holders, the Ironwood upgrade is a positive signal of the development team’s responsiveness. However, the event also introduces short-term uncertainty. Users must be prepared to move funds out of the old Orchard pool, and exchanges may temporarily suspend ZEC deposits and withdrawals around the upgrade date. From a market perspective, the disclosure of a critical minting bug could temporarily weigh on ZEC’s price, as such news often triggers selling pressure. However, a successful, timely fix could reinforce confidence in Zcash’s long-term security and development discipline. Conclusion The Ironwood upgrade represents a critical security milestone for Zcash. By acting quickly to close the vulnerable Orchard pool and deploy a replacement, the Zcash development community is prioritizing network integrity. ZEC holders should monitor official channels for specific migration instructions and block heights as the late-July target approaches. FAQs Q1: What is the Ironwood upgrade? Ironwood is a network upgrade for Zcash that will replace the current Orchard shielded pool with a new one, fixing a vulnerability that could allow unlimited ZEC minting. Q2: When will the Ironwood upgrade happen? Developers are targeting activation by the end of July. A specific block height or date will be announced closer to the upgrade. Q3: Do ZEC holders need to do anything? Yes. Users with funds in the current Orchard pool will need to move them to the new pool after the upgrade to ensure their coins remain accessible and secure. This post Zcash Sets July Deadline for Ironwood Upgrade to Patch Critical Minting Flaw first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

9 Jun 2026, 08:36

Crypto News, June 9: Bitcoin Price Steady, Sam Bankman-Fried Formally Applies for a Trump Crypto Pardon as Humanity Exploited

The Sam Bankman pardon request has been the talking point after the formal filing. Meanwhile, the Humanity crypto project reels from its $32M private-key hack that wiped 80-90% off H in hours. Bitcoin stands strong above $63K as the Fear & Greed Index is locked in extreme fear. Sam Bankman pardon application puts the man back in the headlines two years into his 25-year sentence for FTX fraud. Just last year, Trump granted clemency to crypto figures, including BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, in March. Hayes later faced pump-and-dump accusations on leveraged products after he rebuilt influence through education and trading commentary. WATCH: SAM BANKMAN-FRIED SPEAK FROM PRISON ON SEEKING A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON "It's one of the very few cases where the platform was overcollateralized and customers were made more than whole" "Yet there was not just an investigation but a prosecution and dozens of years of… https://t.co/3GbJvfKnFZ pic.twitter.com/PxcR5zfRrx — Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) June 8, 2026 However, Sam Bankman pardon would reward negligence that cost users billions. Some say it ends selective “war on crypto” prosecutions and shows a regulatory reset. Besides Hayes, Trump has also pardoned CZ Binance and other industry players in a pro-innovation policy move. But then again, the CZ verdict was arguably baseless. SBF’s team cites prison time served and cooperation offers. But the crypto community splits between redemption calls and rug-pull flashbacks. Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with Forget Sam Bankman Pardon, Today, The Humanity Crypto Exploit Rocks Market The Humanity crypto exploit drained over $32M from 17 foundation wallets via one compromised private key. Attackers minted extra tokens and dumped H for ETH and BNB, crashing the price from $0.70 to under $0.10. Team paused the bridge and liquidity pools, insisting only one member’s keys were hit. Humanity Protocol crashed -90% in 12 hours, erasing over $1 BILLION in market cap, just days after surging +339%. The collapse came after an attacker drained over $31 million from wallets linked to Humanity's app, then started swapping the stolen $H into $ETH . The founder… pic.twitter.com/DXdWXNrh2W — Ash Crypto (@AshCrypto) June 9, 2026 ZachXBT called the Humanity crypto story suspicious, pointing to pre-hack pump, concentrated supply, and market-maker ties. He labeled it likely an inside exit rather than a random hack, offering a bounty for proof. As of now, there is no data to back his claim, just yet. You choose to crime pump your token for weeks with zero fundamentals and think CT will blindly trust your story? Disclose your active MM agreements with the HK entity first…. — ZachXBT (@zachxbt) June 9, 2026 Humanity incident caps a brutal 2026 crypto hack season that already saw Drift Protocol lose $285M, Kelp DAO $293M, and multiple bridges drained for hundreds of millions total. North Korea-linked actors and key compromises dominate the list. This Humanity crypto fallout fuels institutional distrust and explains record ETF outflows topping $4B in recent weeks. BlackRock’s IBIT and Grayscale GBTC led redemptions amid post-exploit FUD. Discover: The best pre-launch token sales Bitcoin Rocking Above $63K Amid Extreme Fear: What’s Next for Crypto? Saylor blamed AI capital rotation for the recent Bitcoin dip; ARCA called it “nonsense” and “gaslighting,” pinning pressure on Strategy’s small BTC sales to cover dividends. Bitcoin bounced above $63K while Strategy added another 1,550 BTC. Spot volumes hit 2023 lows, yet big alts show resilience with BNB and SOL edging higher. Bitcoin (BTC) 24h 7d 30d 1y All time It’s no secret that low liquidity leads to price swings, but Bitcoin dominance below 60% suggests an altcoin comeback. Despite hack noise and outflows, on-chain accumulation by whales and treasuries shows conviction. Fear & Greed at extremes, sentiment at rock bottom, usually mark capitulation before bounces. BTC Dominance, Tradingview ETF outflows likely peak as fear bottoms, clearing weak hands for fresh entries. With regulatory clarity improving and major treasuries still buying, the path higher remains intact for patient holders. Crypto cycles repeat, trust erodes on exploits, then rebuilds on scarcity and adoption. That’s why we call it a cycle, right? Follow us here for more updates. Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with The post Crypto News, June 9: Bitcoin Price Steady, Sam Bankman-Fried Formally Applies for a Trump Crypto Pardon as Humanity Exploited appeared first on Cryptonews .

9 Jun 2026, 08:03

Sahara AI SAHARA Token Crashes 60%, A Billion-Token Unlock Looms

Sahara AI is having a very bad day. The project’s SAHARA token has briefly crashed around 60% , briefly touching $0.0159 before partially recovering. The team is now in full damage-control mode trying to separate a planned bridge transaction from what looks, on the surface, like a classic pre-unlock dump. With 1.03 billion tokens scheduled to unlock later this month, the timing could not be more uncomfortable. The Crash Arrives Without Earning PeckShield Alert flagged the abnormal price movement as SAHARA dropped sharply in a compressed window, shedding roughly 60% of its value in a move that caught the market off guard. #PeckShieldAlert $SAHARA has dropped -60% @SaharaAI https://t.co/wIiDleiyzt pic.twitter.com/uDBbCkzVgf — PeckShieldAlert (@PeckShieldAlert) June 9, 2026 For a token backed by serious institutional names and listed on Binance spot, a crash of this magnitude is not just a bad trading day, it is a credibility event that demands an immediate and credible explanation. The project had been riding meaningful momentum. Sahara AI raised a $43 million Series A round led by Binance Labs alongside Pantera Capital and Polychain Capital, three of the most recognisable names in institutional crypto investing. SAHARA launched on Binance spot in June 2025, giving it the kind of exchange credibility most projects spend years chasing. A 60% crash in a single session lands differently when that is your pedigree. The Team Rules Out a Security Breach But Questions Remain Sahara AI responded quickly, posting that the team is aware of the unusual market volatility and actively monitoring the situation in real time. We are aware of the unusual $SAHARA market volatility that just occurred and are actively monitoring the situation in real time. There are no security issues on our token contracts or products. Our team has initiated an internal investigation to better understand the drivers… — Sahara AI (@SaharaAI) June 9, 2026 The statement led with the most important reassurance: there are no security issues on the token contracts or products. An internal investigation has been launched to better understand what drove the price movement, but the team was clear that this is not a hack, not an exploit, and not a contract vulnerability. They went further to address the on-chain activity that had been circulating as a potential cause. Team and investor wallet allocations are fully untouched on-chain. No team or investor tokens have been sold or moved. That is the kind of specific, verifiable claim that either holds up under on-chain scrutiny or does not, and the team clearly felt confident enough to state it publicly. A 600 million Token Bridge Transfer Was Planned In a follow-up post, Sahara AI addressed the specific transfer that had been circulating as the suspected trigger. A 600 million SAHARA transfer that spooked the market was, according to the team, a pre-scheduled fill of their Chainlink CCIP bridge contract, designed to provide liquidity for a recently launched cross-chain bridge. The transfer was planned, the bridge is operating as designed, and an additional 150 million SAHARA is pending to be added for further liquidity. Update: Team and investor wallet allocations are fully untouched on-chain. No team or investor tokens have been sold or moved. The transfers being cited as the cause of today's price movement were a pre-scheduled fill of our Chainlink CCIP bridge contract to provide liquidity… https://t.co/dqbtg2xfC0 — Sahara AI (@SaharaAI) June 9, 2026 The team was direct: this bridge transfer is unrelated to the market movement. They acknowledged that the investigation into the actual cause of the price crash is ongoing and committed to sharing more information once they have something they can confirm. That is a reasonable position to take if the facts genuinely support it, but it also leaves a significant gap between “we know what the transfer was for” and “we know why the token crashed 60%.” Those are two different questions, and only one of them has been answered so far. A Billion-Token Unlock in Weeks Changes the Entire Context Here is where the market’s scepticism becomes harder to dismiss. On June 26 and 27, just weeks away, Sahara AI is scheduled to unlock 1.03 billion SAHARA tokens, representing up to 10% of the total supply. That is an enormous amount of new supply hitting the market in a very short window, and anyone who follows token economics knows what that kind of unlock schedule can do to price action in the lead-up. Pre-unlock sell pressure is one of the most well-documented patterns in crypto. Holders who anticipate that a large unlock will suppress price often sell ahead of the event to avoid holding through the dilution. Market makers adjust positioning. Short sellers build positions against the expected supply shock. The result is frequently a drawdown in the weeks before the unlock date, independent of any fundamental change in the project. Whether today’s 60% crash is connected to that dynamic, to the bridge transfer, to some other on-chain activity the team has not yet identified, or to some combination of all three is the question the market is now asking. The team’s insistence that no insider selling has occurred is important, but a 1.03 billion token unlock does not require insider selling to create sell pressure. Anticipation alone can do significant damage. What Holders Should Watch For From Here The team says more information is coming once confirmed. That timeline matters. If the investigation surfaces a clear, verifiable explanation that exonerates the project and points to an external or mechanical cause for the volatility, the recovery case becomes straightforward. If the explanation remains vague, or if on-chain analysts find activity inconsistent with the team’s statements, the damage to confidence will be much harder to repair. The 600 million bridge transfer claim is testable. The assertion that no team or investor wallets have moved is testable. The crypto community will run those checks independently regardless of what the team says, and the results will either validate or undermine the official narrative within hours. In the meantime, the billion-token unlock scheduled for June 26 is not going anywhere, and every day between now and then carries the weight of that supply overhang. Sahara AI built real credibility with a $43 million raise from top-tier investors and a Binance listing. Whether it can hold that credibility through a 60% crash, an incomplete explanation, and one of the largest single-session unlocks in its history is the defining test the project now faces. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. Follow us on Twitter @nulltxnews to stay updated with the latest Crypto, NFT, AI, Cybersecurity, Distributed Computing, and Metaverse news !

9 Jun 2026, 07:45

Humanity Protocol Exploited for Over $30M as Hacker Mints 200M Tokens, $H Crashes 90%

One of crypto’s hottest identity narratives just collapsed in real time. Humanity Protocol $H, the project that had been riding a wave of buzz around biometric identity on blockchain, has been exploited for more than $30 million. The token has crashed up to 90% in a matter of hours, the attacker is still holding tens of millions of dollars worth of $H ready to sell, and ZachXBT is already on the scene with accusations that cut far deeper than the hack itself. The Exploit Unfolds In Real Time Lookonchain was one of first to flag the attack, reporting that wallets linked to or previously interacting with Humanity Protocol were being drained as an active exploit unfolded. Initial loss estimates came in around $19 million before climbing rapidly. Within hours, the figure had crossed $30 million and was still moving. Humanity( @Humanityprot ) has been exploited, with losses exceeding $30M! The hacker is currently dumping $H and swapping it for $ETH . $H has already crashed ~90%. https://t.co/0Bhtu6TZDr pic.twitter.com/cNGO70PHDH — Lookonchain (@lookonchain) June 9, 2026 The attacker’s method was aggressive and straightforward. They began dumping $H tokens immediately, rotating the proceeds into ETH to lock in value before the market could fully process what was happening. By the time the full picture emerged, the hacker had already obtained 18,510 ETH worth approximately $30.83 million and an additional 1,548 BNB worth around $924,000 purely from selling $H into whatever liquidity remained. $H responded the way any token does when a large seller with unlimited supply hits an illiquid market, it collapsed. The token crashed between 80% and 90% from its intraday highs in the space of a few hours, erasing months of price appreciation and the entire identity narrative that had been built around the project. The Hacker Mints 200 Million Tokens On BSC Then things got significantly worse. A follow-up alert from Lookonchain revealed that the Humanity hacker had minted 100 million $H tokens on Binance Smart Chain, and then minted another 100 million on top of that. Note that the #Humanity hacker has minted another 100M $H on BSC. By selling $H , the hacker has already obtained 18,510 $ETH ($30.83M) and 1,548 $BNB ($924K). The hacker still holds 111.36M $H ($14M) ready to be sold. However, on-chain liquidity is nearly exhausted. https://t.co/vSArj5j185 pic.twitter.com/aA56QhdNDr — Lookonchain (@lookonchain) June 9, 2026 Two separate minting events, 200 million tokens created from nothing, each worth tens of millions of dollars at pre-crash prices and still carrying meaningful sell value even at the decimated post-crash price. At the time of reporting, the attacker still holds 111.36 million $H valued at approximately $14 million, a loaded gun pointed at whatever on-chain liquidity remains. The problem is that liquidity is nearly exhausted. The market has already absorbed an enormous volume of forced selling, and the depth to absorb another $14 million exit simply may not be there. What happens when an attacker with $14 million in tokens cannot find buyers is a question the Humanity Protocol community is now staring down directly. The minting events are the most alarming part of this story because they go beyond a standard private key compromise or bridge exploit. Someone was able to create new token supply at will, which raises fundamental questions about the protocol’s smart contract architecture and access control design that the team has not yet answered. The Team Confirms a Private Key Compromise We're aware of a security incident involving the compromise of private keys belonging to a member of the Humanity Foundation. The safety of our community is our top priority, and we want to be fully transparent about what we know. As a precaution, please do NOT interact with the… — Humanity (@Humanityprot) June 9, 2026 Humanity Protocol’s official account posted a statement acknowledging the incident. The team confirmed they are aware of a security incident involving the compromise of private keys belonging to a member of the Humanity Foundation. They urged the community to stop interacting with the bridge or any liquidity pools immediately, stating it is the single most important step users can take to protect their funds right now. The statement said the team is working with leading security experts and exchange partners to assess the scope of the incident and secure all affected systems. They apologised directly, “we’re deeply sorry that this has happened”, and committed to sharing only verified updates rather than speculating before facts are confirmed. Official updates, they stressed, will come only from the main account or co-founder Terence Kwok’s personal account. The acknowledgment of a private key compromise is significant. It suggests this was not purely a smart contract vulnerability but rather a situation where someone with privileged access, either a team member or someone who gained access to their credentials, was able to execute the minting and draining operations. That distinction matters for how the community and exchanges respond going forward. ZachXBT Fires At The Project’s Credibility While the team was issuing damage control statements, ZachXBT arrived with a different kind of message. The on-chain investigator was not interested in sympathy for the project. His post was blunt: the team chose to pump their token for weeks with zero fundamentals and now expects Crypto Twitter to blindly trust their story. He demanded the team disclose their active market maker agreements with a Hong Kong entity before asking for community trust. You choose to crime pump your token for weeks with zero fundamentals and think CT will blindly trust your story? Disclose your active MM agreements with the HK entity first…. — ZachXBT (@zachxbt) June 9, 2026 The accusation is serious and lands hard in the context of what just happened. If the token was being artificially pumped through coordinated market making activity with no fundamental backing, then the exploit did not just destroy a legitimate project, it destroyed a project that was already operating in questionable territory. That changes the moral calculus of community sympathy significantly and explains why ZachXBT is not treating this purely as a victim story. What the Humanity Protocol Collapse Means for Identity Tokens The broader lesson here cuts across the entire identity narrative space in crypto. Humanity Protocol had all the surface ingredients that attract attention, biometric verification, a compelling vision for on-chain identity, partnerships, and a price chart that suggested momentum. None of that survived contact with a compromised private key and an attacker who knew exactly how to monetise unlimited minting access. When a token loses trust in its supply integrity, the road back is significantly harder than recovering from a bear market or a bad news cycle. Markets can forgive price crashes. They struggle to forgive the revelation that someone was able to create unlimited tokens at will and drain tens of millions of dollars out the door before anyone could stop them. Until Humanity Protocol publishes a full post-mortem, discloses the scope of the minting exploit, and addresses ZachXBT’s market maker allegations directly, the community has no reliable foundation on which to rebuild confidence, and the attacker still has $14 million in tokens ready to sell. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services. Follow us on Twitter @nulltxnews to stay updated with the latest Crypto, NFT, AI, Cybersecurity, Distributed Computing, and Metaverse news !

9 Jun 2026, 07:45

Why is H’s price down today? Inside Humanity Protocol’s $32M exploit

Humanity's exploit triggered an 80% collapse as the attacker drained assets and liquidity drained across markets.

9 Jun 2026, 07:10

Worldcoin Rival Humanity Protocol’s Token Crashes 88% as $30M Wallet Drain Sparks Security Panic

Humanity Protocol’s native token – H token – dramatically collapsed by nearly 88% on June 9 after falling from around $0.78 to nearly $0.099. The steep decline came after reports emerged of a major security incident involving wallets connected to the protocol. Multi-Million Dollar Hack On-chain investigator Specter first raised the alarm and revealed that more than 17 wallets holding H tokens were drained. Separate reports indicated that attackers stole private keys tied to the project and drained more than $30 million from those wallets. Humanity Protocol later confirmed that a security incident had occurred. In a post on X, the team behind the blockchain identity network revealed that private keys belonging to a member of the Humanity Foundation had been compromised. It urged users not to interact with the bridge or any liquidity pools until further notice. “We are actively working with leading security experts and our exchange partners to assess the scope of the incident and secure all affected systems. We’re deeply sorry that this has happened. Protecting this community is our responsibility, and we don’t take that lightly.” Not everyone accepted Humanity Protocol’s explanation of the incident. On-chain investigator ZachXBT pushed back against the project’s account on X and accused the team of aggressively promoting the token for weeks while offering little underlying value. He also called on the project to reveal any active market maker agreements involving a Hong Kong entity. In a separate post, ZachXBT went on to claim that the security breach appeared “possibly staged” and added that “it’s a convenient way for the active MM to have exited.” Humanity Protocol is a blockchain-based identity project that lets people verify they are real humans. It uses biometric data and privacy technology so users can prove their identity without sharing personal information. It was launched on mainnet last year and quickly gained traction as a rival to Sam Altman’s Worldcoin (now rebranded to World Network). Attacker Cashes Out Millions According to blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain, the attacker continued minting H tokens after the exploit, first creating 100 million H tokens on BNB Smart Chain before minting another 100 million. The hacker was found to have already sold a portion of the tokens, obtaining 18,510 ETH worth approximately $30.83 million and 1,548 BNB valued at around $924,000. Despite those sales, the attacker still holds about 111.36 million H tokens, which is worth almost $14 million at current prices. However, Lookonchain asserted that on-chain liquidity for the token is now nearly exhausted. The post Worldcoin Rival Humanity Protocol’s Token Crashes 88% as $30M Wallet Drain Sparks Security Panic appeared first on CryptoPotato .