News linked to both this project and an event.
According to BeInCrypto, the official verified X account of U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis was hacked on July 29. The account briefly posted a fake Solana Meme coin promotion post named $USA Token, featuring a pump.fun minting link. The post was deleted within approximately five minutes, accumulating around 5,600 views and 37 replies during that period. Crypto community users quickly issued warnings, and there are currently no records of financial losses. Lummis's office had not released any statement as of press time. The timing of this incident is sensitive, coinciding with the stalemate of the "Digital Asset Market Transparency Act" (CLARITY Act) championed by Lummis in Congress.
Hawkins County Commissioners in Tennessee, USA, have passed a ban with a vote of 12 in favor and 0 against, prohibiting the establishment, construction, installation, expansion, and operation of crypto mining facilities and data centers in the county's unincorporated areas. The commission had previously passed a similar ban in September 2025 to prevent digital asset company ExoticRidge from conducting mining operations locally, and confirmed its relevant authority through a resolution in January. ExoticRidge and Hawkins County officials proposed a settlement in January that would allow the company to build and operate facilities under noise restrictions. The proposed terms require that A-weighted decibel noise at the property boundary must not exceed 80 decibels for more than 30 minutes within any 4-hour period. A law signed in Tennessee in April has already stipulated that, effective July 1, the use and installation of cryptocurrency ATMs and kiosks will be illegal, with the restrictions targeting incidents where residents use the devices to transfer funds to scammers.
Aave founder Stani Kulechov posted on platform X, stating that now more than ever, the industry needs to build consensus and do everything possible to ensure the smooth passage of the U.S. CLARITY Act.Stani stated that although the CLARITY Act is not perfect and many details still need to be formulated by regulatory agencies in the future, the bill will become the first regulatory legislation involving decentralized finance (DeFi). It will provide a clear legal framework and regulatory certainty for institutions, fintech companies, and banks to participate in on-chain finance. Once the CLARITY Act is officially passed, its driving effect on the on-chain finance ecosystem is expected to be similar to the development opportunities the GENIUS Act previously brought to the stablecoin industry, attracting more investment and institutional capital into the on-chain space.Stani added that over the past year, and especially in recent weeks and days, the Aave team has been in close communication with relevant policymakers in Washington, D.C., USA. He stated that they have now entered the "last mile" of pushing for the bill's enactment, a phase that is critically important.
Elon Musk has completed the acquisition of APR Energy, a mobile power generation company, with the overall transaction valued at least $1 billion. Documents show that Duos Technologies sold its 5% non-voting stake in New APR Energy, realizing a net gain of $50.4 million, which implies an enterprise value exceeding $1 billion. Headquartered in Florida, USA, APR Energy specializes in modular gas and diesel mobile generator sets, with a total installed capacity exceeding 1 GW. Individual projects can be deployed in as fast as 15 to 30 days, providing temporary and backup power for data centers.Industry analysts suggest that this acquisition aims to support the expansion of xAI's computing cluster and reduce reliance on the public grid. However, the fossil fuel-based power generation model will also bring trade-offs in terms of carbon emissions, compliance, and long-term operational costs. (Techrepublic)
U.S. prosecutors have disclosed that a federal grand jury has indicted Benjamin Paul Wiener, a crypto investor from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on 29 criminal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, involving approximately $20 million.According to the indictment, Wiener, 43, is accused of inducing investors, through false statements, to invest funds and digital assets into multiple companies under his control, with victims spanning South Dakota and Minnesota and involving dozens of investors. Prosecutors allege that after obtaining the funds, Wiener transferred assets through banks and cryptocurrency exchanges to conceal the source, ownership, and control of the funds, and used part of the money for personal expenses.Prosecutors further allege that when cash flow became tight or investors demanded redemptions, Wiener would recruit new investors and use the incoming funds to repay earlier investors, with the operation resembling a Ponzi scheme. It is reported that he utilized eight companies, including multiple LLCs, to carry out these activities.Additionally, Wiener is accused of fabricating documents and communication records in April 2025, and using another person's identity to fraudulently obtain a $1 million line of credit from a financial institution in Sioux Falls.Wiener appeared in court on July 10 and pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was released after posting bail. The trial is expected to begin on September 15. Under U.S. law, wire fraud and money laundering carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, bank fraud carries a maximum of 30 years, and aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least two years. The IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are jointly investigating the case. (The Block)
监管文件显示，MARA Holdings 子公司 Volt Texas 与 HIF USA 签署协议，收购持有德州数据基础设施园区项目的 MAT 1177 LLC 大部分股权，仅保留卖方一部分少数股权。该项目公司拥有与电力公司签署的意向书，计划为园区提供最高 2000 兆瓦电力，用于建设可支持高性能计算与 Bitcoin 挖矿的大型数字基础设施园区。交易对价以里程碑方式分期支付，若所有开发里程碑完成，累计收购金额最高达 6 亿美元，相关土地收购、电力接入和后续数据中心租约执行将触发分期付款义务。
Kraken parent company Payward has asked the Delaware Court of Chancery to enter a final judgment against Mazars USA after an arbitrator ruled in its favor, awarding $22 million in damages. Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi stated that the case involves debanking, regulatory pressure, and the need for clear rules in the U.S. crypto market, and called on Congress to pass the CLARITY Act. (Bitcoin.com News).
According to Cryptopolitan, approximately 1,200 people in Texas, USA lost a total of $56.8 million last year due to crypto ATM scams, the highest in the nation. The report noted that local crypto ATMs have long lacked state-level regulation, with scammers often impersonating law enforcement officers, courts, or utility companies to induce victims to deposit cash at the machines and convert it into cryptocurrency.
Payward, the parent company of Kraken, has won its arbitration against former auditor Mazars USA, with the arbitrator ruling that Mazars must pay Payward $22 million. Payward is now seeking confirmation of the arbitration award and a final judgment from the Delaware Court of Chancery.The dispute originated during the peak of the so-called "Operation Choke Point 2.0" in 2022. Payward claimed that Mazars abruptly withdrew from a nearly completed audit of Kraken without finding any issues with the company. However, the move caused reputational damage to Kraken and forced the company to spend years and incur significant legal fees to clarify its position.Arjun Sethi, co-CEO of Payward, stated that audits are not a "favor" for crypto companies but rather critical infrastructure necessary for maintaining banking relationships, licenses, counterparty trust, and regulatory confidence. When an auditor withdraws without negative findings, it unfairly leaves a cloud of suspicion over the company."Operation Choke Point 2.0" is the crypto industry's term for regulatory pressure during the Biden administration, referring to the period after the FTX collapse when US regulators informally pressured banks to limit services to crypto companies. Sethi noted that the US FDIC sent at least 25 letters to 24 banks, requesting them to pause or avoid expanding crypto-related business. This ruling is also seen as a legal countermeasure by the crypto industry against such regulatory pressure.
According to CNBC, Swedish payment giant Klarna has submitted an application to U.S. federal and state regulators to establish an FDIC-insured bank subsidiary "Klarna Bank USA" in Utah, enabling Klarna to conduct loans, deposits, and broader financial services through its own banking system. Klarna launched the stablecoin KlarnaUSD at the end of last year and is reportedly collaborating with Privy, a wallet infrastructure platform under Stripe, to co-develop a crypto wallet aimed at mainstream users.
According to PYMNTS, the new crypto tax in Illinois, US will take effect on January 1, 2027. Law firm Jones Day stated that any brokers with business exposure in Illinois should initiate registration preparations as soon as possible and review existing record-keeping processes to meet upcoming compliance requirements.
, the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice (STJ) has rejected the release request of Mirelis Yoseline Diaz Zerpa, a Venezuelan woman who is the wife of “Bitcoin Pharaoh” Glaidson Acácio dos Santos, currently held in pre-trial detention. Her legal team filed a habeas corpus petition, citing reasons including the prison's failure to meet her “vegan diet” needs. However, the court ruled that dietary preferences do not constitute grounds for illegal detention, and any related adjustments can be handled administratively by the prison system at its discretion.Judge Maria Marluce Caldas, presiding over the case, noted that dietary restrictions based on personal choice lack the legal standing to overturn the legality of the detention, thus upholding the original ruling while requesting the prison to make reasonable dietary arrangements where conditions permit. Case documents show that Mirelis had been a fugitive in the United States for nearly four years before being deported back to Brazil due to visa issues and subsequently arrested. Prosecutors accuse her of involvement in organized crime leadership and large-scale crypto asset transfers, linked to investigations such as “Operation Kryptos.”The Brazilian Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) stated that during the investigation, approximately 20 million reais worth of crypto asset movement was identified, and related account operation records in Florida, USA, were traced. Authorities believe she still retains the ability to remotely control funds, posing a significant judicial risk. The case is currently under further review. (livecoins)
Odaily, According to sources, CertiK has confirmed its participation as a sponsor at Consensus Miami 2026. As the world's largest Web3 security company, CertiK plans to deeply engage in industry dialogue and ecosystem building through a series of activities.During the conference, CertiK will host and co-host two side events, inviting global founders, technical professionals, and industry representatives to discuss topics such as Web3 security, AI applications, and on-chain infrastructure. Founder and CEO Ronghui Gu will also participate in relevant roundtable forums to explore security and transparency in blockchain and financial infrastructure. Additionally, CertiK will set up a booth at the venue and conduct multiple fireside chats with partners, focusing on industry pain points including institutional adoption, risk visualization, and Web3 compliance implementation.Organized by CoinDesk, Consensus Miami 2026 will be held from May 5 to 7 in Miami, USA. It is expected to bring together over 20,000 industry participants globally, making it one of the most influential conferences in the crypto and Web3 industry.
According to Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed HB 798, a bill extending the state’s unclaimed property laws to digital assets and ensuring that digital assets can be administered in kind. This measure aims to improve the legal ownership framework and handling mechanisms for digital assets. Paul Grewal expressed his gratitude for this development.
According to U.S. News, U.S. District Judge Michael Liburdi for the District of Arizona ruled to temporarily bar the state from taking criminal or civil enforcement actions against prediction market platform Kalshi under state law. Additionally, Kalshi’s scheduled arraignment on April 13 has been halted. This ruling responds to a motion previously filed by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In the temporary restraining order, Judge Liburdi stated that the State of Arizona may not enforce its state gambling laws against contracts listed on markets regulated by the CFTC.