Quick Summary: Federal prosecutors charge Jonathan Spalletta with computer fraud and money laundering over the 2021 hack that shut down the Uranium Finance exchange. Jonathan Spalletta, 36, of Rockville, Maryland, has been charged by federal prosecutors with computer fraud and money laundering in connection with a 2021 cyberattack that drained more than $50 million from the Uranium Finance decentralized exchange. The attack was severe enough to force the platform to permanently shut down. Spalletta surrendered to authorities in Manhattan following the charges.The indictment marks the first time any defendant has been publicly connected to the long-running DeFi case. Prior to…
Author:
Quick Summary: Bitcoin recovers to around $67,500 after dipping below $65,200, while major altcoins post weekly losses of 3–8% amid broad risk-asset declines. Bitcoin has rebounded from a dip below $65,200 earlier in the week, trading near $67,500 as March draws to a close. Major altcoins have fared worse, posting losses of between 3% and 8% over the same period. The broader crypto market’s relatively flat performance stands in contrast to significant declines seen across other risk assets.Global equity markets have endured a difficult month, with the S&P 500 recording its longest losing streak since 2022. The MSCI Asia Pacific…
Quick Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor proposes a rule giving 401(k) fiduciaries a safe harbor to include crypto and other alternative investments in retirement plans. The U.S. Department of Labor has put forward a proposed rule that would establish a safe harbor for 401(k) fiduciaries who follow a defined review process when considering alternative investments, including funds with exposure to cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. The proposal was made available through the Federal Register on Monday ahead of formal publication on Tuesday. It fulfills a directive issued by President Donald Trump in August of last year to broaden access…
Quick Summary: Bitmine Immersion Technologies acquires 71,179 Ether for roughly $147 million, its biggest single-week buy of 2026 and its fifth consecutive weekly purchase. Bitmine Immersion Technologies has completed its fifth consecutive week of Ether purchases, acquiring 71,179 ETH for approximately $147 million. The company announced the transaction on Monday, describing it as its largest weekly buy of 2026 to date. The figure marks a notable increase from Bitmine’s previous weekly average, which ranged between $93 million and $103 million. Across its four prior purchases in March, the company had accumulated a total of 238,244 Ether.Company leadership cited a belief…
Quick Summary: Dubai’s VARA has released formal rules for crypto exchange-traded derivatives, capping retail leverage at 5:1 and requiring strict suitability checks. Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has released a new regulatory framework governing crypto exchange-traded derivatives (ETDs), detailing how licensed crypto companies may offer such products within the emirate. The framework is set out in Version 2.1 of VARA’s Exchange Services Rulebook and was announced on Tuesday. It applies to licensed virtual asset service providers offering exchange services in Dubai.The rulebook establishes requirements across several areas, including client suitability, leverage and margin controls, asset segregation, disclosure standards, and…
Quick Summary: A federal court has permanently barred KuCoin operator Peken Global Limited from serving U.S. users unless it registers as a foreign board of trade. A federal court has approved a consent order from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission that permanently prohibits Peken Global Limited, the operator of cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin, from allowing U.S. users on its platform. The order includes a civil penalty of $500,000. The prohibition carries an exception only if the company registers as a foreign board of trade.The ruling builds on a separate criminal case in which KuCoin entered a guilty plea in January 2025.…
Quick Summary: Jonathan Spalletta faces up to 30 years in prison for allegedly hacking Uranium Finance in 2021, stealing $53M and laundering proceeds through Tornado Cash. Jonathan Spalletta, also known online as “Cthulhon” and “Jspalletta,” has surrendered to U.S. authorities after a federal indictment was unsealed charging him with computer fraud and money laundering. The charges stem from two separate attacks in 2021 on Uranium Finance, a decentralized exchange. Spalletta faces a maximum of 10 years on the computer fraud count and 20 years on the money laundering charge. The case has drawn attention from legal and blockchain security experts…
Quick Summary: Google researchers say breaking Bitcoin and Ethereum cryptography may need fewer than 500,000 physical qubits, far below earlier estimates in the millions. Google researchers have published findings suggesting that the cryptographic protections underpinning Bitcoin and Ethereum could be compromised with significantly fewer quantum computing resources than previously thought. Earlier estimates placed the required number of physical qubits in the millions, but the new paper indicates that fewer than 500,000 physical qubits may be sufficient. The researchers also estimate that roughly 1,200 to 1,450 high-quality qubits would be needed to carry out practical attacks.One of the more striking scenarios…
Quick Summary: The US Department of Labor has proposed expanding 401(k) investment options to include crypto, advancing Trump’s August executive order. The US Department of Labor has put forward a proposed rule change that would broaden the range of investment options available within 401(k) retirement plans, including the addition of digital assets such as cryptocurrencies. A notice for the proposal, titled Fiduciary Duties In Selecting Designated Investment Alternatives, appeared in the Federal Register on Monday. A pre-published version of the document outlines the factors retirement plan managers should weigh when incorporating crypto and other alternative investments into client portfolios. The…
Quick Summary: Two Democratic senators demand answers from SEC Chair Paul Atkins over the resignation of enforcement director Margaret Ryan and dropped cases tied to Trump associates. Two Democratic Party senators have sent separate letters to Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins, demanding explanations for the resignation of the agency’s enforcement director and the handling of fraud cases involving individuals connected to President Donald Trump. The letters follow a Reuters report alleging that enforcement director Margaret Ryan clashed with SEC leadership over specific cases before stepping down in March. The development adds to growing scrutiny of Trump’s involvement in…
