News linked to both this project and an event.
In response to public accusations by Du Jun, Co-founder of Huobi and ChainUP and Founder of Vernal Capital, Metagent Co-founder and former CTO Li Bojie (@bojie_li) issued a response. Li Bojie stated that ABCDE Capital committed to investing $1.5 million in the investment agreement, but actually only $500,000 was received, with the remaining $1 million never arriving, yet the company's cap table continued to record their equity based on the $1.5 million share. Affected by this, he and the co-founders voluntarily reduced their salaries, and the company's recruitment and R&D also fell into difficulties. In October 2024, Li Bojie officially resigned with board approval, citing personal family reasons preventing him from leaving mainland China and compliance risks existing in Web3 projects. He stated that during his tenure, he always fulfilled the responsibility of disclosing the cap table and business status on schedule, and after resignation, he also complied with non-compete clauses, voluntarily avoiding startup projects in fields such as Web3, AI infra, and image generation. Previously, Du Jun publicly posted stating that Li Bojie is the "founder with the least contractual spirit" he has ever cooperated with, accusing him of refusing to fulfill basic obligations agreed in the investment agreement, including refusing to synchronize business progress and financial status with investors, and subsequently losing contact.
According to Odaily, the "Trump Account" initiative launched in the United States has announced that registration and initial deposits will open on July 4th. First proposed alongside the "Great American" bill, the account allows parents to set up tax-deferred investment accounts for children under 18. Family members, friends, and employers can jointly contribute to the account, with a maximum annual deposit of $5,000, which will be adjusted for inflation in the future. Additionally, the Trump Account permits employers to provide subsidized contributions for employees' children, up to $2,500 per year. Once the account holder turns 18, the account will automatically convert into a traditional IRA structure, allowing continued investment and additional contributions. (Source: war.gov)
Odaily, U.S. Senate Democrats have sent a letter to Republican leadership demanding an immediate hearing regarding the potential relationship between the Trump family's crypto project, World Liberty Financial, and the Abu Dhabi royal family.This follows a report by the Wall Street Journal that an investment entity backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, secretly acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial. The project is a DeFi and stablecoin venture, with Donald Trump and his three sons listed as advisors.According to the report, the deal was signed by Eric Trump four days before Trump's presidential inauguration in January 2025. The transaction was valued at $500 million, half of which was paid upfront. Approximately $187 million flowed to entities controlled by the Trump family, while at least $31 million went to entities linked to the family of World Liberty co-founder Steve Witkoff. Witkoff was later appointed as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East, and his son, Zach Witkoff, currently serves as CEO of World Liberty.The Trump side has stated that Trump was unaware of the $500 million investment and was not directly involved in the daily operations of World Liberty Financial. Democrats argue that the matter involves potential conflicts of interest between the president's family business interests, foreign capital, and government diplomatic roles, and have therefore called on the Republican-led Senate to launch an investigation as soon as possible.
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate the cryptocurrency company of President Donald Trump's family. (Jin10)
According to an official announcement, the digital asset trading platform Websea has reached an investment agreement with a strategic investor and will officially resume withdrawals at 16:00 (UTC+8) on May 18, simultaneously releasing the specific withdrawal arrangements. The strategic investment is reported to come from a Middle Eastern family fund. The two parties conducted multiple rounds of in-depth discussions on core topics including the platform’s asset status, business structure optimization, recovery roadmap design, and long-term development planning, ultimately reaching a consensus on cooperation. Currently, the investor is proceeding with fund injection per the established process, while concurrently conducting legal due diligence, signing agreements, and finalizing equity arrangements.
According to a Reuters investigation, Nobitex—the largest cryptocurrency exchange in Iran—was founded by members of the Kharrazi family, who maintain close ties to Iran’s highest leadership. The investigation found that the exchange was established by brothers Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi, who previously used the surname “Aghamir” to conceal their connection to the Kharrazi family—a family long embedded in Iran’s political inner circle, including historical links to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his successors. The report states that Nobitex currently serves over 11 million users and dominates Iran’s cryptocurrency market. It continued operating during Iran’s conflicts with the United States and Israel—even amid nationwide internet blackouts—and processed transactions throughout. Analysts estimate its trading volume exceeded $100 million during wartime, accompanied by substantial outflows of funds overseas. Additionally, multiple on-chain analytics firms have identified that the platform processed transactions linked to sanctioned entities, with estimated volumes ranging from $22 million to $366 million. Data also shows that wallets associated with the Central Bank of Iran transferred hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency assets to Nobitex in 2025—widely believed to be an effort to circumvent financial sanctions. Nobitex has denied any government affiliation and stated that illicit transactions constitute only a small fraction of its overall business.
Nobitex, Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, was founded by members of the Kharrazi family, who have close ties to Iran's supreme leadership. Investigations show the exchange was created by brothers Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi, who previously used the surname "Aghamir" to conceal their connection to the Kharrazi family. This family has long-standing, deep ties to Iran's political core, including historical links to Ali Khamenei and his successors.The report indicates that Nobitex currently serves over 11 million users, dominates the Iranian crypto market, and has continued operating throughout conflicts between Iran, the United States, and Israel, even processing transactions during nationwide internet blackouts. Analysts say its trading volume exceeded $100 million during wartime, with significant funds flowing overseas.Additionally, multiple on-chain analytics firms point out that the platform has processed transactions linked to sanctioned entities, with estimated volumes ranging from $22 million to $366 million. Other data shows that wallets associated with the Central Bank of Iran transferred hundreds of millions of dollars worth of crypto assets to Nobitex in 2025, allegedly to circumvent financial sanctions. Nobitex denies any connection to the government, stating that illegal transactions represent only a small fraction of its overall business. (Cointelegraph)
According to The Block, a U.S. court sentenced Maximilien de Hoop Cartier—a descendant of the Cartier jewelry family—to eight years in prison for operating an unlicensed over-the-counter cryptocurrency exchange. Prosecutors stated that the exchange transferred over $470 million in drug proceeds through U.S. bank accounts to Colombia. Prosecutors alleged that Maximilien de Hoop Cartier falsely claimed his companies engaged in software publishing and software development. In reality, these companies were used to receive and transfer drug money and other illicit proceeds: drug funds were received in cryptocurrency, converted into fiat currency, deposited into shell company accounts under his control, and then forwarded to other nodes within the money-laundering network. These funds were ultimately withdrawn in Colombian pesos in Colombia. In addition to imprisonment, Maximilien de Hoop Cartier was ordered to pay a fine of approximately $2.36 million—representing commissions he earned from participating in the fraud scheme. The court also ordered the forfeiture of specific bank accounts held in the names of shell companies used in the scheme.