The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has initiated High Court proceedings against cryptocurrency exchange HTX, alleging the firm illegally promoted crypto asset services to UK consumers. The case, filed in the Chancery Division, relates to suspected breaches of the Financial Promotions Regime introduced in October 2023.

According to the FCA, HTX, which is incorporated in Panama and formerly operated as Huobi Global, continued to advertise crypto services through its website and major social media platforms despite prior regulatory warnings. The watchdog said it has received court approval to serve proceedings outside the UK and by alternative means due to the exchange’s offshore structure.

The FCA said the action underscores its intent to enforce strict marketing standards for crypto firms operating in or targeting the UK. In addition to court proceedings, the regulator has requested that app stores and social media platforms restrict HTX’s access to UK users and has placed the firm on its public Warning List.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

A US federal court has sentenced Daren Li, a dual national of China and St. Kitts and Nevis, to 20 years in prison for leading a global cryptocurrency fraud that stole more than $73 million from victims. The sentence, handed down in California, represents the statutory maximum and includes three years of supervised release, according to the US Department of Justice.

Prosecutors said Li coordinated a network that used spoofed websites mimicking legitimate trading platforms to carry out so-called pig butchering scams. Victims were approached through social media and dating applications, where trust was built over time before they were persuaded to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the group.

Authorities said Li and his co-conspirators laundered at least $73.6 million, including nearly $60 million routed through US shell companies. The case underscores heightened law enforcement scrutiny as crypto-related fraud resurges amid broader retail adoption.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Ledger is integrating OKX’s decentralized exchange into its wallet, enabling users to swap cryptocurrencies directly onchain while retaining full control of their private keys. All transactions will be signed using Ledger hardware devices, preserving the company’s self-custody and security model as decentralized trading activity grows.

The integration supports token swaps across major networks, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon, and BNB Chain. OKX DEX aggregates liquidity from hundreds of sources across multiple blockchains, allowing users to access competitive pricing and execution without transferring assets to centralized platforms.

The move reflects Ledger’s broader strategy to position its wallet as a secure access layer for decentralized finance. As regulators and institutions place greater emphasis on asset segregation and risk controls, hardware-enforced self-custody combined with onchain trading tools is increasingly viewed as a viable alternative to centralized exchange models.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Bitcoin miner Cango said it sold 4,451 Bitcoin on the open market, generating approximately $305 million in net proceeds. The company said the funds were used to partially repay a Bitcoin-collateralized loan and to strengthen its balance sheet amid challenging mining conditions.

The sale was approved by Cango’s board following a review of market conditions and forms part of a broader strategy to reduce leverage while funding a planned expansion into artificial intelligence and high-performance computing infrastructure. Management said the company intends to repurpose portions of its globally distributed, grid-connected infrastructure to provide compute capacity for AI workloads through a phased rollout.

Cango’s move reflects a wider trend among Bitcoin miners facing compressed margins following the 2024 halving. As network difficulty rises and mining economics tighten, miners are increasingly reallocating capital and power resources toward AI and data center services to diversify revenue and stabilize cash flows.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

BitMine Immersion Technologies said its Ethereum holdings have reached 4.326 million tokens, representing roughly 3.6% of the total ETH supply, alongside total crypto and cash holdings of approximately $10 billion. The company reported $595 million in cash, additional Bitcoin holdings, and minority investments categorized as higher-risk assets.

The firm said nearly 2.9 million ETH are currently staked, positioning BitMine as one of the largest Ethereum staking participants globally. Management stated that staking operations are generating more than $200 million in annualized rewards, with plans to expand through its Made in America Validator Network, expected to launch in early 2026.

The disclosure highlights the growing role of corporate crypto treasuries as firms seek yield through staking and long-term asset accumulation. BitMine’s strategy also underscores increasing institutional participation in Ethereum infrastructure, even as ETH prices remain volatile and regulatory frameworks around crypto holdings continue to evolve.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Coinbase returned to the Super Bowl on Sunday, debuting its first major television campaign since its viral 2022 QR code advertisement. The one-minute spot, titled “Everybody Coinbase,” featured a minimalist karaoke-style aesthetic with text-based animations synchronized to the Backstreet Boys’ 1997 hit, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” According to Catherine Ferdon, Coinbase’s chief marketing officer, the creative direction was designed to foster a shared experience and highlight the growth of the digital asset community, moving away from high-conversion promotional tactics toward brand-oriented storytelling.

The campaign signals a strategic pivot for the exchange, which is currently positioning itself as a mainstream financial infrastructure provider. Unlike the 2022 ad that offered direct Bitcoin incentives, the 2026 spot prioritized accessibility and brand sentiment. Brian Armstrong, Coinbase CEO, defended the minimalist approach, arguing that simplified, unique content is more effective at cutting through the saturated media environment of the Super Bowl, an event dominated this year by competitive advertising from artificial intelligence firms.

Public reception was polarized, with reactions ranging from praise for the ad’s simplicity to vocal criticism in physical viewing venues. Industry analysts noted that the campaign included multi-platform activations at the Las Vegas Sphere and Times Square. While some viewers expressed skepticism following recent market volatility, Coinbase representatives maintained that the campaign’s success is validated by the high volume of social discourse and its ability to reinforce crypto’s presence in American consumer culture.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is expanding oversight into crypto market manipulation following operational errors at domestic exchanges. The regulator will target high-risk tactics, including coordinated “whale” activity and schemes exploiting infrastructure disruptions. This follows a Bithumb promotional error where excess Bitcoin was mistakenly credited to users, prompting immediate scrutiny of internal exchange controls.

The FSS is deploying AI-powered surveillance to identify abnormal price movements. Investigations will prioritize “gating” practices, where deposit or withdrawal suspensions create artificial supply constraints. Simultaneously, the Financial Services Commission has ordered a review of internal protocols across all domestic platforms to mitigate volatility risks occurring during scheduled exchange maintenance or technical outages.

A new task force is preparing for the Digital Asset Basic Act’s second phase, focusing on disclosure and licensing. By enhancing automated detection of suspicious accounts, regulators aim to institutionalize market integrity. This indicates a move toward stricter enforcement for South Korea’s digital asset sector as authorities prioritize market stability.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

The Open Network Foundation has introduced TON Pay, a new payments software development kit aimed at enabling cryptocurrency payments directly within Telegram. The SDK allows merchants and Mini App developers to accept Toncoin and supported stablecoins through a wallet-agnostic checkout flow embedded in the messaging platform.

TON Pay aims to leverage Telegram’s global user base of 1.1 billion monthly active users. Nikola Plecas, vice president of payments at the TON Foundation, noted that the system is built for sub-second transaction times with fees typically remaining below one cent. The initial rollout focuses on in-app commerce, with future updates expected to include support for subscription models, gasless transactions, and regional fiat off-ramps to balance decentralized architecture with compliance requirements.

The move intensifies competition in the “everything app” sector, as platforms like X and Coinbase pursue similar integrated financial service strategies. While TON faces scrutiny regarding its deep integration with Telegram and historical decentralization concerns, the foundation maintains that the network remains permissionless. By embedding payment rails directly into the messaging interface, TON Pay attempts to position blockchain technology as a viable alternative to traditional fiat payment systems for everyday digital commerce.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Kris Marszalek, CEO of Crypto.com, has acquired the AI.com domain for a reported $70 million to launch an autonomous AI agent platform. The acquisition, which ranks as one of the largest domain-name transactions in history, precedes a national product launch scheduled for this Sunday. The service will be formally introduced through a Super Bowl advertisement, continuing Marszalek’s history of high-profile marketing campaigns to drive retail adoption within the digital asset and technology sectors.

The platform will offer users autonomous agents capable of managing digital workflows, scheduling, and personal tasks. While the base service will be accessible for free, a tiered subscription model will provide advanced processing capabilities and increased token limits. Marszalek stated that the long-term vision involves a decentralized network of agents, signaling a strategic integration between blockchain infrastructure and advanced artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of agentic capabilities.

This initiative follows similar moves by technology majors, including Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia, which have recently deployed agent-based AI solutions. The high valuation of the domain reflects the escalating competition for AI-related digital assets and branding. By combining agentic AI with decentralized networks, the project aims to capitalize on the growing institutional and retail interest in autonomous digital assistants while leveraging the established reach of the exchange’s brand.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Gemini Space Station (GEMI) is streamlining operations by exiting the UK, European Union, and Australian markets while reducing its global workforce by 25 percent. Mizuho analysts described the move as margin-accretive, noting that the exchange is pivoting away from high-cost geographic expansion toward jurisdictions with clearer regulatory frameworks. By narrowing its strategic scope to the US and Singapore, the firm intends to redeploy compliance and operational resources more efficiently.

The restructuring is expected to incur approximately $11 million in pre-tax charges during the first quarter of 2026. However, Mizuho expects operating leverage to improve by the second half of the year as these restructuring expenses roll off. The firm reiterated its Outperform rating and $26 price target for GEMI shares, which recently traded near historic lows. Analysts noted that achieving profitability has been a consistent point of investor scrutiny for the exchange since its public listing.

Beyond core trading, Gemini is focusing on growth in institutional custody and regulated prediction markets. The company recently received approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to launch prediction services in the U.S., a sector Mizuho views as a key revenue stabilizer. While broader market sentiment remains divided between fintech and crypto-native platforms, Gemini’s strategic reset aims to defend and grow its market share through a more concentrated domestic footprint.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Tether has assisted Turkish authorities in seizing approximately $544 million in USDT tied to an illegal online betting and money-laundering network. CEO Paolo Ardoino confirmed the company’s involvement following an investigation by Istanbul prosecutors into Veysel Sahin, who is accused of operating unlawful platforms. The frozen assets represent a significant portion of the total $1 billion in assets recently seized by Turkish officials in related probes.

The intervention aligns with Tether’s broader strategy of institutional cooperation. The company reports assisting law enforcement in over 1,800 cases across 62 jurisdictions, resulting in the freezing of $3.4 billion in USDT to date. According to data from Elliptic, Tether and Circle have collectively blacklisted approximately 5,700 wallets by late 2025. This proactive stance comes as stablecoins face heightened scrutiny regarding their role in sanctions evasion and illicit financial flows.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Bitcoin’s network mining difficulty declined by approximately 11.16% in its latest adjustment, the steepest drop since China’s ban on crypto mining in 2021. The adjustment took effect at block 935,429, lowering difficulty to about 125.86 trillion and pushing average block times above the protocol’s 10-minute target.

The decline follows a period of reduced network hashrate driven by weaker Bitcoin prices and operational disruptions among miners. Data indicates difficulty may fall again later this month, reflecting continued strain across the mining sector as profitability tightens and participation fluctuates.

External factors also contributed to the contraction. Severe winter weather in the United States temporarily forced several large mining operations offline, while some miners shifted capacity toward artificial intelligence data centers and other high-performance computing uses. Together, these dynamics underscore the sensitivity of Bitcoin’s mining economics to market conditions, energy reliability, and evolving infrastructure priorities.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Prediction market platform Polymarket is transitioning its settlement infrastructure to Circle-issued native USDC, moving away from bridged USDC previously used on Polygon. The change will be implemented over the coming months, according to a joint announcement from Circle Internet Group and Polymarket.

Currently, Polymarket relies on bridged USDC, which represents tokens locked on another blockchain. By adopting native USDC issued directly by Circle’s regulated entities, the platform aims to reduce dependence on cross-chain bridges while improving capital efficiency and settlement reliability. Native USDC can be redeemed one-for-one for US dollars without intermediary mechanisms.

The shift comes as prediction markets expand and attract greater participation from both retail users and crypto-native firms. Polymarket’s move aligns with a broader industry trend toward regulated stablecoins as infrastructure providers seek to lower operational risk while supporting higher transaction volumes and institutional standards.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Tether has completed a $100 million strategic equity investment in Anchorage Digital, formalizing and expanding an existing partnership between the stablecoin issuer and the federally chartered US crypto bank. The investment was made through Tether Investments, the company’s El Salvador-based investment arm, according to a statement released Thursday.

The deal builds on prior collaboration between the firms, including Anchorage’s role in issuing USAt, a dollar-pegged stablecoin launched in January and designed to operate under the US federal payment stablecoin framework established by the GENIUS Act. Anchorage Digital, founded in 2017, provides custody, settlement, staking, and stablecoin issuance services to institutional clients.

The investment comes as Anchorage Digital is reported to be exploring a capital raise of $200 million to $400 million ahead of a potential initial public offering next year. For Tether, the move reflects continued deployment of capital following strong profitability and growing involvement across banking, payments, and digital asset infrastructure.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: CoinScreamer is an independent media brand owned by NuvexMedia LLC, providing news, research, and market insights. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with various companies across the digital asset and technology industries. Despite these partnerships, CoinScreamer operates with full editorial independence to deliver accurate, timely, and objective information about the crypto market. Below are our current financial and business disclosures. © 2025 NuvexMedia LLC. All Rights Reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice.