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Project Overview
Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform that provides data, software, services, and research to government agencies, exchanges, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies in over 70 countries. Its data powers investigation, compliance, and market intelligence software which has been used to solve some of the world's most high-profile criminal cases and facilitate safe consumer access to cryptocurrency.
Crypto industry stakeholders submit differentiated rule proposals to SEC on novel ETF regulation
Odaily News Crypto enterprises, asset managers, market makers, and consumer advocacy groups have submitted comments to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in response to its request for input on the regulatory framework for "novel ETFs," covering exchange-traded products such as crypto assets, private assets, event contracts, and leveraged strategies.Crypto industry organization Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) recommended extending certain regulatory accommodations applicable to ETFs to non-ETF exchange-traded products. Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (A16z) stated that the SEC should assess products based on their underlying assets and risk profiles, rather than treating all novel ETFs as a single category.Grayscale opposed adding new portfolio restrictions for mature digital asset products, while Chainalysis suggested leveraging public blockchains to enable real-time monitoring and verifiable disclosures. Kalshi expressed support for including event contracts in registered funds, whereas consumer advocacy group Public Citizen opposed offering event contract ETFs to retail investors. The SEC will evaluate whether to adopt a unified regulatory framework or craft separate rules based on product structure and risk. (Decrypt)
Iranian Rial Hits Record Low, US Sanctions Target Digital Assets for First Time
According to Odaily, the Iranian rial hit a record low this week, with the open market exchange rate falling to approximately 2.02 million rials per US dollar on August 24, compared to around 1.53 million rials in the first quarter. During the same period, the US government launched "Operation Economic Exodus," adding more than 60 entities to the Treasury Department's blacklist and, for the first time, designating digital assets as a sanctionable category.State-controlled farms linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) control approximately 65% of Iran's Bitcoin mining capacity. Iranian miners have accounted for roughly 3% to 7% of global Bitcoin hashrate since 2019, with the mined Bitcoin valued at an estimated $1.35 billion to $3.15 billion at various stages.Iran legalized Bitcoin mining in 2019, allowing licensed operators to use industrial electricity at approximately $0.004 per kilowatt-hour and sell the mined tokens to the Central Bank of Iran. Chainalysis estimates that IRGC-affiliated wallets received over $3 billion in Q4 2025; Elliptic states that the Central Bank of Iran holds at least $507 million in USDT.The US Treasury sanctioned Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin, and Ramzinex in June. Nobitex had processed more than half of Iran's digital asset inflows; in April, the US Treasury seized nearly $500 million in Iran-linked crypto assets. (Bitcoin.com News)
Crypto Violent Heists Exceed $30 Million in 2026, France Becomes a Hard-Hit Area
According to The Block, data from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis shows that violent robberies targeting cryptocurrency holders in the first half of 2026 have resulted in losses exceeding $30 million. If the trend continues in the second half, the full-year total will surpass the historical peak of $58 million in 2025. France has become the world's largest "Wrench Attack" hotspot, with 30 public cases recorded in the first half of 2026, while the French Minister of the Interior stated that actual cases exceed 70. Chainalysis attributes this to the 2024 French tax authority data breach—a tax official was suspected of stealing and selling the names, addresses, holdings, and tax records of high-net-worth crypto holders, causing the attack frequency to surge from a monthly average of 1.9 in 2025 to a monthly average of 4.6 in the first half of 2026. Attack methods have also deteriorated; cases targeting family members rather than the holders themselves now account for over 40% of French cases, and the proportion of home invasions rose from 14% in 2025 to 37%. Stolen funds are typically quickly moved on-chain, with some laundered through tools such as decentralized exchanges and cross-chain bridges; advanced criminal networks are even linked to cartel money laundering and terrorist financing channels.
Suspected Drug Cartel Cryptocurrency Mining Farm Discovered in Mexican Mountains, Possibly Used for Money Laundering Through Mining
According to Reuters, Mexican police discovered a clandestine cryptocurrency mining operation in the mountainous regions of Puebla state, seizing 300 GPUs, 80 medium-voltage power terminals, and eight satellite dishes. Four similar operations have been uncovered in the area since early last year. Authorities are investigating whether the site illicitly siphoned electricity from a nearby hydroelectric plant. Security analysts noted that the technical expertise and funding required for the facility point to the involvement of well-capitalized criminal syndicates. A Chainalysis Latin America expert stated that regional drug trafficking organizations are increasingly utilizing cryptocurrency transfers and mining operations for money laundering. Data shows that globally, crypto addresses associated with criminal activity received approximately $154 billion in 2025, more than double the $59 billion recorded in the previous year.
France Over 90% of Crypto Gains Unreported, Taxable On-Chain Activity Reaches $9.4 Billion in 2025
Odaily News According to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, France's potential taxable cryptocurrency activity in 2025 is estimated at $9.4 billion, comprising $5.2 billion in payments, $2.5 billion in capital gains, and $1.7 billion in mining and staking income.French taxpayers declared only €368 million in net gains for the 2024 tax year, involving approximately 24,000 individuals—up from about 7,700 people and €150.8 million the previous year. Chainalysis noted that in some countries, the rate of non-compliance with crypto tax obligations may exceed 90%.The EU's Eighth Administrative Cooperation Directive (DAC8) took effect on January 1, 2026, requiring crypto service providers to collect user identity and transaction data. Member state tax authorities will begin cross-border exchanges of relevant records from September 30, 2027. The CARF currently covers approximately 14% of potentially taxable on-chain activity globally. (Bitcoin.com News)
Crypto industry stakeholders submit differentiated rule proposals to SEC on novel ETF regulation
Odaily News Crypto enterprises, asset managers, market makers, and consumer advocacy groups have submitted comments to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in response to its request for input on the regulatory framework for "novel ETFs," covering exchange-traded products such as crypto assets, private assets, event contracts, and leveraged strategies.Crypto industry organization Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) recommended extending certain regulatory accommodations applicable to ETFs to non-ETF exchange-traded products. Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (A16z) stated that the SEC should assess products based on their underlying assets and risk profiles, rather than treating all novel ETFs as a single category.Grayscale opposed adding new portfolio restrictions for mature digital asset products, while Chainalysis suggested leveraging public blockchains to enable real-time monitoring and verifiable disclosures. Kalshi expressed support for including event contracts in registered funds, whereas consumer advocacy group Public Citizen opposed offering event contract ETFs to retail investors. The SEC will evaluate whether to adopt a unified regulatory framework or craft separate rules based on product structure and risk. (Decrypt)
Chainalysis "Operation Lighthouse" Investigates Over 29,000 Crypto Addresses Linked to CSAM Networks Across 125 Countries
According to Bitcoin.com, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis announced the results of Operation Lighthouse on August 25. This transnational operation targeted criminal networks associated with child sexual abuse material (CSAM), investigating 29,120 cryptocurrency addresses and digital identifiers across more than 100 clearnet and darknet platforms, forums, and distribution networks. The effort generated 14,300 investigation leads and uncovered over 7,700 suspicious accounts and linked suspects spanning 125 countries. Coordinated in New York by the National Cyber Forensics & Training Alliance (NCFTA), the initiative involved at least nine law enforcement agencies, along with more than 13 private organizations and non-profits, including Europol, the Australian Federal Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the UK’s National Crime Agency. Chainalysis stated that the discovered leads could subsequently result in account restrictions, arrests, and prosecutions. Law enforcement outcomes are expected to continue through 2027, and the company plans to extend this collaborative model to other types of crypto-related crime.
Chainalysis partners with Binance, Coinbase, and others to launch Operation Lighthouse targeting child sexual abuse material networks
According to CoinDesk, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis stated that it organized the multi-day joint operation "Operation Beacon" in collaboration with crypto firms such as Binance and Coinbase, as well as law enforcement agencies from multiple countries, to investigate networks spreading child sexual abuse material using cryptocurrency. The operation is headquartered at the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance in New York, with participating agencies including Europol, the Australian Federal Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the UK's National Crime Agency.
Arbitrum Activates ArbOS 61 Elara Upgrade, Introducing Optional Compliance Filtering and Priority Fee Support for Dedicated Chains
According to The Defiant, Arbitrum officially activated the ArbOS 61 Elara upgrade on August 20, which was approved for deployment via an ArbitrumDAO governance vote. The core features of this upgrade include: introducing an optional protocol-level transaction filtering mechanism for Dedicated Chains, allowing chain owners to independently select external compliance service providers such as TRM Labs and Chainalysis to configure restricted address rules; the filter is disabled by default and does not affect existing Arbitrum One users; adding Priority Fee support, also disabled by default, with its activation on Arbitrum One still requiring a separate DAO constitutional vote; introducing the BaseFeeManager contract, which authorizes Offchain Labs to adjust the L2 minimum Gas fee within a DAO-approved range of 0.01 to 0.10 gwei over a two-year authorization period; additionally, the maximum code size limit for Stylus contracts has been increased from 24 KB to 96 KB, though this does not apply to Solidity contracts.
Iranian Rial Hits Record Low, US Sanctions Target Digital Assets for First Time
According to Odaily, the Iranian rial hit a record low this week, with the open market exchange rate falling to approximately 2.02 million rials per US dollar on August 24, compared to around 1.53 million rials in the first quarter. During the same period, the US government launched "Operation Economic Exodus," adding more than 60 entities to the Treasury Department's blacklist and, for the first time, designating digital assets as a sanctionable category.State-controlled farms linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) control approximately 65% of Iran's Bitcoin mining capacity. Iranian miners have accounted for roughly 3% to 7% of global Bitcoin hashrate since 2019, with the mined Bitcoin valued at an estimated $1.35 billion to $3.15 billion at various stages.Iran legalized Bitcoin mining in 2019, allowing licensed operators to use industrial electricity at approximately $0.004 per kilowatt-hour and sell the mined tokens to the Central Bank of Iran. Chainalysis estimates that IRGC-affiliated wallets received over $3 billion in Q4 2025; Elliptic states that the Central Bank of Iran holds at least $507 million in USDT.The US Treasury sanctioned Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin, and Ramzinex in June. Nobitex had processed more than half of Iran's digital asset inflows; in April, the US Treasury seized nearly $500 million in Iran-linked crypto assets. (Bitcoin.com News)
EU Sanctions "Most Prolific Ransomware Operator" Stern, Linked to Over $300 Million in Ransom Payments
the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have jointly announced sanctions against a group of individuals involved in state-sponsored hacking organizations, cybercriminal groups, and their infrastructure providers. The targets are accused of causing billions of dollars in losses to global enterprises, critical infrastructure, and government agencies. Among them, the most notable is the EU's sanction against Russian cybercriminal Vitaly Nikolayevich Kovalev, also known as "Stern." The EU identified Stern as one of the core managers of the notorious Trickbot Group ransomware syndicate, which is behind high-risk ransomware variants such as Conti ransomware and Ryuk.On-chain analysis shows that wallet addresses linked to Stern have collectively received over $300 million in ransom payments, potentially making him the most prolific ransomware operator ever identified.According to the analysis, the $300 million figure represents only Stern's personal gains, while the total illicit income of the Trickbot Group could be significantly higher. On-chain fund flows indicate that Stern had transactional ties with multiple ransomware ecosystems, including Ryuk, Conti, Diavol, Karakurt, Royal, and Quantum.The investigation reveals that Stern played a role similar to a "CEO" within the Trickbot organization, responsible for budget management, personnel recruitment, infrastructure procurement, and attack planning. (Chainalysis)
OFAC updates ISIS-K sanctions list, adds 134 cryptocurrency wallet addresses; Tether has frozen all TRON address balances
According to Chainalysis, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) updated its sanctions list against ISIS-K (Islamic State Khorasan Branch) on July 1, adding 134 cryptocurrency wallet addresses, of which 131 are on the TRON chain and 3 are Monero addresses. On-chain data shows that the aforementioned TRON wallets have cumulatively received over $1.4 million since 2023 and transferred out over $880,000, with some funds flowing to Syrian crypto exchangers. Currently, Tether has frozen the balances of all 131 TRON addresses. Additionally, on the same day, OFAC also sanctioned two Brazilian individuals and four companies related to the Latin American criminal organization "Primeiro Comando da Capital" (PCC), accusing them of using cryptocurrency to transfer over $30 million in illegal proceeds across borders from the United States to Brazil.
Chainalysis proposes on-chain tracking standard system, introducing "Address Clustering Ontology" to unify blockchain forensics methods
Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis has released a new methodological proposal aimed at establishing a unified on-chain fund tracking standard framework for law enforcement agencies and investigators to identify address clusters and determine their probable control relationships.The proposal defines the on-chain analysis structure in the form of an "ontology," centralizing the systematic decomposition of the currently industry-wide non-standardized concept of "cluster" (address clustering) into wallet segments and functional roles. It describes on-chain relationships through a two-tier structure: the first layer defines the transaction graph structure, and the second layer assesses the inferred confidence level.Chainalysis states that the framework aims to enhance the interpretability and legal applicability of on-chain forensic methods and has been validated through its practical experience in cases related to the U.S. Department of Justice, including analysis applied in the Bitcoin Fog mixing service case. The company's Chief Scientist, Jacob Illum, noted that the proposal's goal is to answer "on what evidentiary basis can these addresses be considered to belong to the same entity," but emphasized that on-chain analysis alone cannot directly identify end-user identities and must still be combined with legal investigative methods involving centralized entities such as exchanges.Chainalysis stated that the standard proposal is currently open for industry discussion, aiming to promote a more unified technical standard for on-chain analysis methods in the fields of law enforcement and compliance. (CoinDesk)
Chainalysis: Gray-market peptide suppliers accelerate shift to Bitcoin and stablecoins, with Q1 crypto inflows surging 159% year-on-year
According to The Block, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis’ latest report states that as the gray-market peptide industry’s scale exceeds an annualized $100 million, leading suppliers are accelerating adoption of Bitcoin and stablecoins as primary settlement instruments. In Q1 2026, cryptocurrency inflows into this industry reached $32 million—a 159% quarter-on-quarter surge. Due to widespread bans imposed by traditional banks and credit card payment channels on prescription-grade compounds and unregulated substances, numerous Chinese chemical manufacturers have turned to cryptocurrencies for transactions, with high-value orders especially favoring stablecoins to hedge against price volatility risk.
Chainalysis: Gray Market Peptide Suppliers Increasingly Using Bitcoin and Stablecoins
Chainalysis has released a report stating that as demand for gray market peptide products (such as weight loss drugs like semaglutide) grows rapidly, related suppliers and buyers are increasingly using cryptocurrencies for transactions, with leading suppliers primarily relying on Bitcoin and stablecoins.The report shows that crypto funds flowing into this sector reached $32 million in the first quarter of 2026, a 159% increase from $12 million in the previous quarter, with the annualized scale already exceeding $100 million.Chainalysis points out that demand for peptide products is driven by trends in medical aesthetics, health and wellness, and the popularity of GLP-1 drugs. However, since these products often involve prescription-grade compounds or unregulated substances, traditional banks and credit card processors typically restrict their transactions, prompting the market to shift towards crypto payments.The agency also noted that some leading suppliers have adopted more professional on-chain fund management methods. Particularly among suppliers with average single deposits exceeding $1,000, the proportion of stablecoins has significantly increased, likely to mitigate the risk of large supply chain orders being affected by crypto market volatility.
Four people killed in Mexico, suspects accused of stealing a cold wallet holding millions of dollars in Bitcoin
Odaily News: The State Attorney General's Office of Mexico (FGJEM) stated that two suspects are accused of killing four people in search of a cold wallet believed to contain millions of dollars in Bitcoin. The two are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, where a judge will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to continue criminal proceedings.The surnames of suspects Diego Sebastián and Gerardo have not been disclosed. Prosecutors allege that the pair killed Jonathan Meléndez, keyboardist for the rock band Camilo Séptimo, his pregnant wife, their daughter, and an employee at a residence in the city of Atizapán de Zaragoza. The family's golden retriever was also killed.Mexico's Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch, stated that one of the suspects was a business partner of the victim and allegedly used that relationship to gain entry into the residence. If convicted, the two could face sentences ranging from 25 to 70 years in prison for each victim.Blockchain security firm CertiK reported that 52 violent coercion attacks against cryptocurrency holders were recorded globally in the first half of 2026, a 33.3% increase from 39 during the same period in 2025. Blockchain analysis company Chainalysis estimates that the value of stolen cryptocurrency from related attacks exceeded $30 million. (Cointelegraph)
1:1 compensation for legitimate holders prior to the vulnerability incident; The Sandbox will reimburse cross-chain SAND using treasury funds
Odaily News, The Sandbox has released a post-mortem report on the August 22 vulnerability incident. The report shows that attackers exploited vulnerabilities in contracts related to cross-chain configurations on Base and BNB Smart Chain (BSC), stealing 14,742,341.84 SAND from the Ethereum treasury, accounting for approximately 0.5% of the maximum supply, with an estimated economic impact of approximately $1.4968 million, of which about $987,000 was actually retained by the attackers. The Ethereum mainnet and Polygon network were not affected. Until further notice, please do not purchase or send SAND on Base or BNB Smart Chain. Contracts deployed on Base and BNB Smart Chain have been permanently deactivated and will not be reopened. The Sandbox stated that the team has reported the attacker's wallet address to blockchain analysis firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis, and has communicated directly with relevant exchanges. The Sandbox also announced a compensation plan, which will compensate wallets that legitimately held cross-chain SAND on Base or BSC prior to the incident at a 1:1 ratio in Ethereum SAND. Compensation funds will come from The Sandbox treasury, with no new tokens issued. The claim process will open within the next two weeks and remain open for two weeks.
Crypto Violent Heists Exceed $30 Million in 2026, France Becomes a Hard-Hit Area
According to The Block, data from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis shows that violent robberies targeting cryptocurrency holders in the first half of 2026 have resulted in losses exceeding $30 million. If the trend continues in the second half, the full-year total will surpass the historical peak of $58 million in 2025. France has become the world's largest "Wrench Attack" hotspot, with 30 public cases recorded in the first half of 2026, while the French Minister of the Interior stated that actual cases exceed 70. Chainalysis attributes this to the 2024 French tax authority data breach—a tax official was suspected of stealing and selling the names, addresses, holdings, and tax records of high-net-worth crypto holders, causing the attack frequency to surge from a monthly average of 1.9 in 2025 to a monthly average of 4.6 in the first half of 2026. Attack methods have also deteriorated; cases targeting family members rather than the holders themselves now account for over 40% of French cases, and the proportion of home invasions rose from 14% in 2025 to 37%. Stolen funds are typically quickly moved on-chain, with some laundered through tools such as decentralized exchanges and cross-chain bridges; advanced criminal networks are even linked to cartel money laundering and terrorist financing channels.
Coldcard Security Losses Show Regional Disparities: Canadian BTC Holders Absorb 25% of Attributable Losses, Followed by Australia, the US, and Thailand
Odaily News, Chainalysis posted on X platform stating that the Coldcard hack has been particularly devastating for Bitcoin holders in Canada. Our analysis of the attackers and victims found that Canadian BTC holders accounted for 25% of the attributable losses.According to aggregated estimates from Galaxy Research, losses have reached as high as $110 million. We analyzed the geographic distribution of this ongoing hacking campaign. Users in Australia, the United States, and Thailand have also suffered significant losses.
LpdFi Protocol Suffers Flash Loan Manipulation Attack, Attacker Profits Approximately $700,000
According to Chainalysis, Hexagate detected that the LpdFi protocol suffered an attack of approximately $700,000. The attacker first utilized approximately $44 million in flash loans to artificially inflate the price of LPD tokens on decentralized exchanges to approximately 71 times, subsequently using only approximately $2 million worth of tokens to forge approximately $140 million in deposit positions within the protocol.
$282 Million in Bitcoin and Litecoin Stolen in Trezor Impersonation Support Scam
Odaily News, January 10 - A Bitcoin and Litecoin holder provided a 12-word recovery phrase to attackers impersonating Trezor support personnel, resulting in the theft of approximately $282 million in assets, including about $139 million in Bitcoin and $153 million in Litecoin. Blockchain forensics firm ZeroShadow stated that the incident stemmed from a social engineering attack, not a compromise of wallet software or private key infrastructure. The stolen funds were split via the THORChain cross-chain bridge within minutes and converted into Monero through instant exchange services. ZeroShadow's monitoring team flagged and froze approximately $700,000 in funds within 20 minutes. Under the BIP39 standard, a 12-word recovery phrase contains approximately 128 bits of entropy, while a 24-word phrase contains 256 bits of entropy. Chainalysis estimates that up to 23% of all mined Bitcoin is permanently inaccessible due to lost keys, involving millions of BTC, with causes including forgotten recovery phrases, damaged backups, and a lack of inheritance planning.
Suspected Drug Cartel Cryptocurrency Mining Farm Discovered in Mexican Mountains, Possibly Used for Money Laundering Through Mining
According to Reuters, Mexican police discovered a clandestine cryptocurrency mining operation in the mountainous regions of Puebla state, seizing 300 GPUs, 80 medium-voltage power terminals, and eight satellite dishes. Four similar operations have been uncovered in the area since early last year. Authorities are investigating whether the site illicitly siphoned electricity from a nearby hydroelectric plant. Security analysts noted that the technical expertise and funding required for the facility point to the involvement of well-capitalized criminal syndicates. A Chainalysis Latin America expert stated that regional drug trafficking organizations are increasingly utilizing cryptocurrency transfers and mining operations for money laundering. Data shows that globally, crypto addresses associated with criminal activity received approximately $154 billion in 2025, more than double the $59 billion recorded in the previous year.
Crypto industry stakeholders submit differentiated rule proposals to SEC on novel ETF regulation
Odaily News Crypto enterprises, asset managers, market makers, and consumer advocacy groups have submitted comments to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in response to its request for input on the regulatory framework for "novel ETFs," covering exchange-traded products such as crypto assets, private assets, event contracts, and leveraged strategies.Crypto industry organization Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) recommended extending certain regulatory accommodations applicable to ETFs to non-ETF exchange-traded products. Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (A16z) stated that the SEC should assess products based on their underlying assets and risk profiles, rather than treating all novel ETFs as a single category.Grayscale opposed adding new portfolio restrictions for mature digital asset products, while Chainalysis suggested leveraging public blockchains to enable real-time monitoring and verifiable disclosures. Kalshi expressed support for including event contracts in registered funds, whereas consumer advocacy group Public Citizen opposed offering event contract ETFs to retail investors. The SEC will evaluate whether to adopt a unified regulatory framework or craft separate rules based on product structure and risk. (Decrypt)
1:1 compensation for legitimate holders prior to the vulnerability incident; The Sandbox will reimburse cross-chain SAND using treasury funds
Odaily News, The Sandbox has released a post-mortem report on the August 22 vulnerability incident. The report shows that attackers exploited vulnerabilities in contracts related to cross-chain configurations on Base and BNB Smart Chain (BSC), stealing 14,742,341.84 SAND from the Ethereum treasury, accounting for approximately 0.5% of the maximum supply, with an estimated economic impact of approximately $1.4968 million, of which about $987,000 was actually retained by the attackers. The Ethereum mainnet and Polygon network were not affected. Until further notice, please do not purchase or send SAND on Base or BNB Smart Chain. Contracts deployed on Base and BNB Smart Chain have been permanently deactivated and will not be reopened. The Sandbox stated that the team has reported the attacker's wallet address to blockchain analysis firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis, and has communicated directly with relevant exchanges. The Sandbox also announced a compensation plan, which will compensate wallets that legitimately held cross-chain SAND on Base or BSC prior to the incident at a 1:1 ratio in Ethereum SAND. Compensation funds will come from The Sandbox treasury, with no new tokens issued. The claim process will open within the next two weeks and remain open for two weeks.
Arbitrum Activates ArbOS 61 Elara Upgrade, Introducing Optional Compliance Filtering and Priority Fee Support for Dedicated Chains
According to The Defiant, Arbitrum officially activated the ArbOS 61 Elara upgrade on August 20, which was approved for deployment via an ArbitrumDAO governance vote. The core features of this upgrade include: introducing an optional protocol-level transaction filtering mechanism for Dedicated Chains, allowing chain owners to independently select external compliance service providers such as TRM Labs and Chainalysis to configure restricted address rules; the filter is disabled by default and does not affect existing Arbitrum One users; adding Priority Fee support, also disabled by default, with its activation on Arbitrum One still requiring a separate DAO constitutional vote; introducing the BaseFeeManager contract, which authorizes Offchain Labs to adjust the L2 minimum Gas fee within a DAO-approved range of 0.01 to 0.10 gwei over a two-year authorization period; additionally, the maximum code size limit for Stylus contracts has been increased from 24 KB to 96 KB, though this does not apply to Solidity contracts.
Chainalysis Files Lawsuit Over ICE Awarding $94.6 Million Contract to TRM Labs
Blockchain analytics company Chainalysis Government Solutions filed a bid protest with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on July 27, challenging the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) award of an approximately $94.6 million blockchain forensics software and support services contract to competitor TRM Labs on a sole-source basis. The contract term is from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, for investigations related to the Homeland Security Special Operations Group.
Chainalysis sues U.S. government over ICE's $94.6 million contract awarded to TRM Labs
blockchain forensics firm Chainalysis Government Solutions filed a bid protest with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on July 27, opposing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) decision to award a contract worth approximately $94.6 million to competitor TRM Labs on a sole-source basis. The contract, covering the period from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, involves blockchain forensics software and support services for Homeland Security task forces investigating fraud, cybercrime, and sextortion cases. Chainalysis argues that ICE's decision was arbitrary and unreasonable. TRM Labs joined the case as an intervenor-defendant on July 28, defending the contract alongside the U.S. government. The court has allowed Chainalysis to temporarily seal its complaint, with oral arguments scheduled for September 2. ICE stated that after approximately six days of market research, it determined that none of the eight responding companies could meet the requirements. (Decrypt)
Related news
Suspected Drug Cartel Cryptocurrency Mining Farm Discovered in Mexican Mountains, Possibly Used for Money Laundering Through Mining
According to Reuters, Mexican police discovered a clandestine cryptocurrency mining operation in the mountainous regions of Puebla state, seizing 300 GPUs, 80 medium-voltage power terminals, and eight satellite dishes. Four similar operations have been uncovered in the area since early last year. Authorities are investigating whether the site illicitly siphoned electricity from a nearby hydroelectric plant. Security analysts noted that the technical expertise and funding required for the facility point to the involvement of well-capitalized criminal syndicates. A Chainalysis Latin America expert stated that regional drug trafficking organizations are increasingly utilizing cryptocurrency transfers and mining operations for money laundering. Data shows that globally, crypto addresses associated with criminal activity received approximately $154 billion in 2025, more than double the $59 billion recorded in the previous year.
Four people killed in Mexico, suspects accused of stealing a cold wallet holding millions of dollars in Bitcoin
Odaily News: The State Attorney General's Office of Mexico (FGJEM) stated that two suspects are accused of killing four people in search of a cold wallet believed to contain millions of dollars in Bitcoin. The two are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, where a judge will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to continue criminal proceedings.The surnames of suspects Diego Sebastián and Gerardo have not been disclosed. Prosecutors allege that the pair killed Jonathan Meléndez, keyboardist for the rock band Camilo Séptimo, his pregnant wife, their daughter, and an employee at a residence in the city of Atizapán de Zaragoza. The family's golden retriever was also killed.Mexico's Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch, stated that one of the suspects was a business partner of the victim and allegedly used that relationship to gain entry into the residence. If convicted, the two could face sentences ranging from 25 to 70 years in prison for each victim.Blockchain security firm CertiK reported that 52 violent coercion attacks against cryptocurrency holders were recorded globally in the first half of 2026, a 33.3% increase from 39 during the same period in 2025. Blockchain analysis company Chainalysis estimates that the value of stolen cryptocurrency from related attacks exceeded $30 million. (Cointelegraph)
France Over 90% of Crypto Gains Unreported, Taxable On-Chain Activity Reaches $9.4 Billion in 2025
Odaily News According to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, France's potential taxable cryptocurrency activity in 2025 is estimated at $9.4 billion, comprising $5.2 billion in payments, $2.5 billion in capital gains, and $1.7 billion in mining and staking income.French taxpayers declared only €368 million in net gains for the 2024 tax year, involving approximately 24,000 individuals—up from about 7,700 people and €150.8 million the previous year. Chainalysis noted that in some countries, the rate of non-compliance with crypto tax obligations may exceed 90%.The EU's Eighth Administrative Cooperation Directive (DAC8) took effect on January 1, 2026, requiring crypto service providers to collect user identity and transaction data. Member state tax authorities will begin cross-border exchanges of relevant records from September 30, 2027. The CARF currently covers approximately 14% of potentially taxable on-chain activity globally. (Bitcoin.com News)
Crypto industry stakeholders submit differentiated rule proposals to SEC on novel ETF regulation
Odaily News Crypto enterprises, asset managers, market makers, and consumer advocacy groups have submitted comments to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in response to its request for input on the regulatory framework for "novel ETFs," covering exchange-traded products such as crypto assets, private assets, event contracts, and leveraged strategies.Crypto industry organization Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) recommended extending certain regulatory accommodations applicable to ETFs to non-ETF exchange-traded products. Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (A16z) stated that the SEC should assess products based on their underlying assets and risk profiles, rather than treating all novel ETFs as a single category.Grayscale opposed adding new portfolio restrictions for mature digital asset products, while Chainalysis suggested leveraging public blockchains to enable real-time monitoring and verifiable disclosures. Kalshi expressed support for including event contracts in registered funds, whereas consumer advocacy group Public Citizen opposed offering event contract ETFs to retail investors. The SEC will evaluate whether to adopt a unified regulatory framework or craft separate rules based on product structure and risk. (Decrypt)
1:1 compensation for legitimate holders prior to the vulnerability incident; The Sandbox will reimburse cross-chain SAND using treasury funds
Odaily News, The Sandbox has released a post-mortem report on the August 22 vulnerability incident. The report shows that attackers exploited vulnerabilities in contracts related to cross-chain configurations on Base and BNB Smart Chain (BSC), stealing 14,742,341.84 SAND from the Ethereum treasury, accounting for approximately 0.5% of the maximum supply, with an estimated economic impact of approximately $1.4968 million, of which about $987,000 was actually retained by the attackers. The Ethereum mainnet and Polygon network were not affected. Until further notice, please do not purchase or send SAND on Base or BNB Smart Chain. Contracts deployed on Base and BNB Smart Chain have been permanently deactivated and will not be reopened. The Sandbox stated that the team has reported the attacker's wallet address to blockchain analysis firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis, and has communicated directly with relevant exchanges. The Sandbox also announced a compensation plan, which will compensate wallets that legitimately held cross-chain SAND on Base or BSC prior to the incident at a 1:1 ratio in Ethereum SAND. Compensation funds will come from The Sandbox treasury, with no new tokens issued. The claim process will open within the next two weeks and remain open for two weeks.
2025 global potentially taxable on-chain crypto activity reaches $457 billion, CARF coverage only 14%
Odaily News Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis stated that the scale of potentially taxable on-chain crypto activity globally in 2025 amounts to at least $457 billion, with approximately $112.6 billion in the US, $134.6 billion in North America, and $125.1 billion in the EU. The estimates cover realized gains, mining, staking, lending income, and crypto payments, but do not include activities such as trading on centralized exchanges.Chainalysis noted that of the on-chain taxable activities it identified, only 14% fall within the scope of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), while the remaining 86% involve decentralized exchanges, peer-to-peer transfers, on-chain income streams, and payment activities.CARF was established by the OECD in 2022 and requires eligible crypto service providers to report customer transaction data to tax authorities. CARF data collection commenced on January 1, 2026, in 48 jurisdictions, including the UK and EU member states. Platforms are required to collect customer and tax residency information and report transaction data. (Cointelegraph)