News linked to this event type.
According to Le Monde, France’s National Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (PNACO) revealed that ransom kidnappings linked to cryptocurrencies have surged sharply since 2023—18 cases in 2024, escalating to 67 in 2025, and reaching 47 so far in 2026, totaling 135 cases. Among the 12 ongoing investigations, 88 individuals—including over 10 minors—have been formally charged, and 75 have been placed in provisional detention. Prosecutor Vanessa Pereira noted that investigations have identified multiple suspects repeatedly involved across several cases, revealing the existence of a structured criminal network. Representative cases include: in December 2025, three masked assailants in Charente forced a couple to transfer approximately €8 million worth of cryptocurrency; and in January 2025, David Balland, co-founder of cryptocurrency hardware wallet company Ledger, was kidnapped. PNACO stated it will continue intensifying nationwide criminal enforcement efforts.
According to Business Insider, U.S. Army Special Forces Sergeant Major Gannon Van Dyke has been charged with allegedly using classified military information to place bets on the prediction market platform Polymarket regarding the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—netting over $400,000 in illegal profits. Notably, Van Dyke had previously attempted to open an account on rival platform Kalshi but was rejected due to failure to pass identity verification and KYC checks. Polymarket stated it proactively reported the suspicious trading activity to law enforcement authorities and has fully cooperated with the investigation. This case is regarded as the first major insider-trading criminal prosecution in the prediction market space, reigniting market concerns about insider-trading risks on prediction platforms.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Evan Tangeman, a 22-year-old man from Newport Beach, California, was sentenced on April 24 to 70 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Tangeman participated in an interstate social engineering crime ring that laundered at least $3.5 million. The criminal group operated since October 2023, stealing over $263 million in cryptocurrency through hacking and social engineering tactics. Its members were predominantly minors or unemployed youths under age 20, and the group originated on online gaming platforms. Tangeman was responsible for converting stolen cryptocurrency into fiat currency and leasing luxury mansions for group members in cities including Los Angeles and Miami; he personally received high-end vehicles—including a Bentley and a Lamborghini—as compensation. After the scheme unraveled, Tangeman instructed his co-conspirators to destroy digital devices to obstruct the investigation. The case was jointly investigated by the FBI’s Washington, Los Angeles, and Miami field offices, along with the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. To date, nine defendants have pleaded guilty.
According to an announcement on the CFTC’s official website, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed an amicus curiae brief with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 24, reaffirming its exclusive jurisdiction over U.S. commodity derivatives markets—including prediction markets—in the case of Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. KalshiEx LLC (SJC-13906). CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig stated that Congress has granted the CFTC sole regulatory authority over commodity derivatives markets and warned that any state attempting to override federal law “will see us in court.” The brief details the legislative history and framework of the Commodity Exchange Act, clarifying that the federal regulatory regime preempts state laws on related matters. Previously, the CFTC has filed lawsuits against Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, and New York, and successfully obtained a temporary restraining order against Arizona, preventing it from asserting state-level jurisdiction over prediction markets regulated by the CFTC.
According to The Block, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed House Bill 2505 on April 13, officially classifying cryptocurrency ATMs (virtual currency self-service terminals) as prohibited devices. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026. Passed unanimously by both chambers of the state legislature, the bill bans the installation or operation of cryptocurrency ATMs statewide. Violators face Class A misdemeanor charges, carrying a maximum penalty of one year’s imprisonment and a $2,500 fine. Notably, liability under this law extends not only to ATM operators but also to merchants permitting such devices on their premises. Tennessee thus becomes the second U.S. state—after Indiana—to implement a comprehensive ban. Previously, cryptocurrency ATMs had been extensively exploited by overseas fraudsters for financial scams; in 2025 alone, these scams caused approximately $390 million in losses, predominantly targeting elderly individuals. To date, 20 U.S. states have enacted regulatory frameworks governing cryptocurrency ATMs, though most adopt measures such as licensing requirements and transaction limits rather than outright prohibition.
The White House says the investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Powell is still ongoing. The case against the Fed will not necessarily be dropped.
Odaily BlockBeats News Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has signed a bill banning cryptocurrency ATM operations statewide, making Tennessee the second state to implement a complete ban after Indiana.The bill (HB 2505) has officially taken effect and will be enforced starting July 1. Under the new regulations, installing or operating a "virtual currency kiosk" (i.e., a Bitcoin ATM) will be classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of $2,500. Additionally, merchants who allow such machines on their premises will also face legal liability.Currently, most U.S. states have strengthened oversight through measures such as licensing systems and transaction limits, but full bans remain rare. Data indicates that since 2026, 30 states have proposed related legislation, with 20 having passed laws, reflecting a continuous tightening of regulations around crypto ATM fraud risks.
According to monitoring by the Odaily Seer Channel, the probability of "Walsh confirmed as Fed Chair before May 15" on Polymarket has risen from 27% to 85%, surging 211% in the short term.The reason is that the U.S. Department of Justice is expected to drop the criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Previously, Senator Thom Tillis, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, stated that if Trump does not withdraw the criminal investigation into current Fed Chair Powell, he would block Walsh's nomination for Fed Chair from reaching a full Senate vote.Under the influence of the news that the DOJ will drop the criminal investigation into Powell, the market now expects a very high likelihood of Walsh being confirmed by the Senate as Fed Chair before Powell's term expires (May 15).The Odaily Seer Channel continues to monitor prediction markets — seeing changes before prices are set.
on April 23, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit in Dane County against Kalshi, Robinhood, Coinbase, Polymarket, and Crypto.com, accusing these fintech and crypto platforms of facilitating illegal sports betting through event contracts. Josh Kaul is requesting the court to issue preliminary and permanent injunctions, declaring that the platforms' operations violate Wisconsin's gambling laws and constitute a public nuisance. The complaint states that repackaging wagers as event contracts does not change their fundamental nature, with approximately 90% of Kalshi's business coming from sports-related contracts, generating annualized revenue exceeding $1 billion. Robinhood and Coinbase are also implicated in the case, routing user orders to Kalshi's markets through distribution agreements. Regulators in Nevada, Arizona, and Tennessee have also taken similar legal actions or issued cease-and-desist orders.
On April 17, South Africa’s National Treasury released the Draft Capital Flow Management Regulations (2026) for public consultation. The draft proposes incorporating crypto assets into the foreign exchange control framework to address associated risks and strengthen oversight of emerging financial instruments. It also aims to align the foreign exchange control framework with recommendations from the OECD and the FATF on combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and illicit financial flows, further clarifying exemptions, licensing requirements, and conditions of application, while imposing administrative penalties for violations.
According to The Block, OSL Group has announced a partnership with Circle’s affiliated entities to expand USDC integration across its payment and trading platforms. Through OSL Global, users can exchange USD for USDC at a 1:1 ratio and trade BTC, ETH, SOL, USD, and USDT pairs in a dedicated USDC trading zone. Meanwhile, OSL has adopted USDC as its unified margin asset and integrated USDC into its payment services to support compliant digital dollar settlement and payment use cases. OSL also stated that it plans to support Circle’s tokenized money market fund, USYC, subject to regulatory requirements and platform eligibility criteria.
The People’s Bank of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the Cyberspace Administration of China, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange jointly issued the “Measures for the Online Marketing of Financial Products,” which will take effect on September 30, 2026. The Measures clarify that, except for financial institutions and third-party internet platforms lawfully entrusted by them, no other organizations or individuals may engage in online marketing of financial products; no institution or individual may provide online marketing services or facilitation for illegal financial activities, and explicitly include virtual currency issuance and trading, illegal foreign exchange margin trading, and other activities within the scope of illegal financial activities.
According to CoinDesk, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) has officially launched the “Stablecoin Reserve Portfolio” (MSNXX), a government money market fund specifically designed for stablecoin issuers. The fund invests exclusively in highly liquid instruments such as U.S. Treasury securities and repurchase agreements backed by government securities, targets a net asset value of $1.00, and offers daily liquidity. This move aims to provide stablecoin issuers with a compliant, low-risk custodial solution for reserve assets.
According to CoinDesk, the cryptocurrency market weakened overall on Friday, with BTC hovering near $77,800—its upward momentum since Wednesday’s rally from $65,000 notably slowing. ETH traded at $2,300, down approximately 0.8% over the past 24 hours, underperforming BTC. Market pressure stems primarily from two sources: First, Japan’s March Corporate Services Price Index rose 3.1% year-on-year—above expectations—and core inflation accelerated, raising market expectations that the Bank of Japan may signal an interest rate hike at its next policy meeting; a stronger yen could trigger unwinding of global risk-asset carry trades. Second, the ongoing Iran conflict continues disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz; WTI crude futures have surged over 40% since the outbreak of hostilities, reaching $96 per barrel. The U.S. Department of Defense warned that mine clearance will take at least six months, implying persistent global inflationary pressures and further constraining the Federal Reserve’s room to cut interest rates.
According to Bloomberg, U.S. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has raised questions about the regulatory approval process for cryptocurrency bank Erebor. A fundraising document obtained by Senator Warren’s office shows that the bank received its banking license within just a few months—sparking “serious concerns” over whether political connections influenced the approval process. Erebor was co-founded by Palmer Luckey, founder of defense startup Anduril Industries, who has publicly disclosed donations to multiple pro-Trump groups. Senator Warren has now requested further clarification from relevant parties regarding the details of the approval process.
Polymarket posted on X platform, saying, "Last month, we released enhanced market integrity rules to combat insider trading. When we discovered that a user was trading based on government classified information, we referred the matter to the Department of Justice and cooperated with their investigation. Polymarket has zero tolerance for insider trading, and today's arrest proves the system is effective."The arrest referred to by Polymarket involved a special forces soldier who participated in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and was taken into custody by U.S. federal authorities on Thursday. The soldier is suspected of profiting over $400,000 by betting on Maduro's removal from power. Sources say federal investigators believe that the commando placed over $33,000 in bets on the prediction market Polymarket just hours before President Trump announced Maduro's capture in January.For details on the insider trading related to the Maduro capture operation on Polymarket, please see When War is Settled Before the News is Out: How Prediction Markets "Priced In" Maduro's Capture 6 Days Early
According to CoinDesk, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit on April 24 against Kalshi, Coinbase, Polymarket, Robinhood, and Crypto.com, accusing these platforms of operating unlicensed gambling businesses under the guise of “event contracts.” The complaint cites marketing language used by the platforms themselves—for instance, Kalshi’s claim to be “the first legal sports betting platform in the U.S.,” and Polymarket’s statement that users can “bet on the outcomes of future events”—to argue that such contracts constitute wagering under Wisconsin law. The state government further noted that the platforms’ business model—charging fees per transaction—is functionally identical to casinos’ commission-based revenue structure. At the heart of this case lies a jurisdictional dispute: whether prediction market contracts fall under federal regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) or are subject to individual states’ gambling laws. Similar lawsuits have already been filed by multiple states, and this conflict is expected to ultimately be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court.
According to Decrypt, Bitcoin financial services company Fold has launched a “Bitcoin Bonus Program” that allows businesses to distribute recurring bonuses to employees in Bitcoin. Steak ’n Shake is the first partner, offering over 10,000 hourly workers a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 per hour worked, fully vesting after two years. The program is operated by Fold Business, which handles all custody and compliance requirements—enabling traditional enterprises to offer crypto-based incentives without managing technical infrastructure. Fold plans to expand its enterprise offerings to include payroll disbursement, corporate Bitcoin treasury management, and corporate cards.
Kelp DAO released a community update on X, noting that the recent rsETH security incident has remained tense over the past several days. However, with support from partners and the broader community, discussions are progressing in a positive direction, and efforts to identify an appropriate resolution are being accelerated. The guiding principles have already been reflected in initial actions, and subsequent updates will continue along this path, aiming for a win-win outcome for all stakeholders. Over the past four days, the Kelp team has engaged in in-depth communication with partners and other relevant parties. Specific progress includes: the Arbitrum Security Council has taken measures to freeze the stolen funds, and the SEAL 911 emergency response team has swiftly stepped in to conduct preliminary investigations, providing a clear and objective analytical perspective on the incident. While some developments have not yet been fully disclosed, related work continues to advance steadily. Kelp DAO stated that its current priority is safeguarding user assets and strengthening the protocol itself. This incident is also viewed as a critical test—not only for the project but for the broader DeFi ecosystem—and key follow-up developments will continue to be shared via official channels.
According to the Belarusian state news agency BELTA, Alexander Yegorov, First Deputy Chairman of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus, revealed at the “Digital Banking–2026” conference that Belarus has adopted Decree No. 19, formally establishing a regulatory framework for crypto banks. Under the decree, crypto banks will support 26 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), TON (Toncoin), Solana (SOL), and multiple stablecoins. They will also be authorized to conduct 11 types of operations, such as crypto deposits, crypto lending, crypto staking, crypto collateralization, crypto transfers, issuance of proprietary tokens, and crypto storage and exchange. Yegorov stated that the current list of supported cryptocurrencies and permitted operations is not final and will be continuously updated and refined in response to investor demand and emerging ideas.