News linked to both this project and an event.
Odaily reports: The cryptocurrency ATM and counter-assisted cryptocurrency transaction ban in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA has taken effect. Relevant businesses must immediately cease operations and remove their equipment by December 5.Albuquerque's virtual currency ordinance prohibits merchants, landlords, property owners, and retailers from operating or providing space for cryptocurrency ATMs; violators may face fines of $500 per day, have their business licenses revoked, and the entire business may be shut down.The ordinance does not restrict residents from legally holding, mining, or privately transferring cryptocurrency through internet exchanges and personal digital wallets. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) stated that reported cryptocurrency ATM fraud losses in 2025 have exceeded $388 million. (Bitcoin.com News)
According to The Block, Mastercard announced at Money20/20 USA the launch of its stablecoin risk intelligence service, Stablecoin Security. The service helps financial institutions assess stablecoin payment risks before funds are moved on-chain. The system traces fund origins, screens for potential links to fraud, scams, sanctions violations, and other financial crimes, and generates a risk score based on transaction context. Banks can integrate the scoring into their existing risk management and compliance systems via API. Borderless.xyz and Keyrails serve as the launch partners. The service will initially roll out in North America, with global commercial deployment expected in 2027. Citing research from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Mastercard noted that transactions on Ethereum in 2025 encompassed 593 million stablecoin transfer events across 141 million transactions, with nearly 60% occurring within complex multi-step processes rather than simple one-to-one payments.
Odaily News: Circle Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Circle Internet Group, has announced the launch of two grant programs in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to explore the use of regulated stablecoins and digital financial infrastructure for international development and humanitarian aid payments.Circle Foundation will fund UNDP in establishing a Digital Asset Innovation Pool to support its country offices in scaling regulated stablecoin payments from local pilots to full project delivery. The mechanism is designed to complement traditional banking systems.Another grant awarded to World Food Program USA will support WFP in building governance, risk, compliance, and fund reconciliation frameworks for digital asset distribution. WFP plans to test stablecoin payment channels in 2 to 3 countries over the next three years and conduct independent research to establish benchmarks for speed, efficiency, and cost. (Bitcoin.com News)
According to TheEnergyMag, Bitcoin miner MARA announced it has paid a $100 million power deposit for its data center project in Matagorda County, Texas, and adjusted the payment and exit terms of the transaction with sustainable fuel developer HIF USA. Located southwest of Houston, the project spans over 1,200 acres and has a planned power capacity of up to 2 gigawatts, which MARA plans to use to build a campus supporting high-performance computing and Bitcoin mining. Under the revised agreement, payments originally contingent on regulatory approval will now be paid in two installments, with the maximum total acquisition price for the project remaining capped at $600 million provided all milestones are met.
Circle Foundation announced its support for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to advance digital payment infrastructure, exploring how to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and financial accessibility of funding disbursement for development projects and humanitarian aid through regulated stablecoins. Specifically, Circle Foundation will fund UNDP’s establishment and operation of the Digital Asset Innovation Pool, facilitating the deployment of regulated payment stablecoins from pilot projects into standard programs. Previously, UNDP has tested solutions such as digital cash payments, fund disbursement in low-connectivity environments, and mobile wallets in locations including Aleppo, Syria; Haiti; Guatemala; and Gambia. Circle Foundation will also provide an additional grant to World Food Program USA to support WFP in building the governance, risk management, fund management, reconciliation, and compliance systems required for stablecoin payments, alongside integration into local fintech and mobile payment networks. Over the next three years, WFP plans to pilot stablecoin payments across payment channels in two to three countries to evaluate their costs, speed, transparency, and operational feasibility.
Odaily News: The Albuquerque City Council in New Mexico, USA, has passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of cryptocurrency ATMs and counter-assisted virtual currency transactions within city limits. The city government will notify known operators and retailers hosting the devices, and the relevant equipment must be removed within 45 days.Albuquerque City Councilor Stephanie Telles stated that 90% of cryptocurrency ATM transactions in the city are related to scams, and noted that high fees discourage legitimate users from using such devices. Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn pointed out that these transactions are instant, anonymous, and irreversible, characteristics that could be exploited by scam groups, organized crime, and human traffickers.The City Council stated that residents can still hold, mine, and transfer cryptocurrencies through online trading platforms and personal wallets. Indiana, Tennessee, and Minnesota have already banned such devices statewide; North America's former largest operator, Bitcoin Depot, filed for bankruptcy in May and took approximately 9,700 devices offline. (Decrypt)
Odaily News: At the SALT conference held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA, Binance founder CZ stated that Bitcoin's "supercycle" has yet to materialize. The market continues to follow a relatively strict four-year cycle pattern and is currently in a bear market phase. As total market capitalization expands, price volatility is expected to narrow. However, CZ noted that the current industry environment is the most favorable in his 12 years of experience, with the U.S. regulatory framework serving as a model globally. Securities laws and exchange regulatory structures in many countries are referencing the U.S. approach. Hong Kong is also accelerating its legislative efforts to align with U.S. regulatory thinking.Regarding the allocation of investment firm YZi Labs, CZ disclosed that approximately 70% of funds are directed toward core tracks in crypto and blockchain, about 20% toward AI, and the remainder toward biotech and other sectors. The firm uses its own capital and is not constrained by external LP return cycles, placing greater emphasis on the positive impact of projects and the execution capabilities of founding teams rather than purely financial returns.
According to Cointelegraph, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper wrote in the Financial Times, calling on the Senate to pass the CLARITY Act as soon as possible and emphasizing that the bill is not only a financial services bill but also a national security bill. Esper pointed out that China is heavily investing in state-led payment systems to bypass U.S. regulation and undermine the dominance of the U.S. dollar, while weak digital asset regulatory rules also provide loopholes for North Korean hacking organizations such as the Lazarus Group to evade U.S. financial controls. He stated that the CLARITY Act will expand the Treasury Department's special measures authority under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act and is a powerful weapon to combat malicious actors.
Odaily News: Cryptocurrency market maker Wintermute announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Wintermute USA, has completed its broker-dealer registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). With the registration complete, the company can provide liquidity to U.S. stock exchanges and over-the-counter (OTC) trading counterparties, and trade equities and options using its proprietary accounts. In addition, Wintermute can now self-clear digital asset securities transactions and act as an Authorized Participant (AP) for exchange-traded products (ETPs), including ETF products related to digital assets. (The Block)
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.