An Israel Defense Forces reservist and a civilian have been formally indicted in Tel Aviv for allegedly using classified military information to place wagers on the blockchain based prediction platform Polymarket. Prosecutors say the reservist accessed sensitive operational intelligence through his military role and shared it with the civilian, who then used that information to make bets linked to military actions. The Tel Aviv District Court lifted a gag order at the request of the State Attorney’s Office cyber division, allowing publication of the indictment. Authorities described a joint operation involving the Shin Bet internal security service, the Defense Ministry…
Author: Blockto Team
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse signaled that while 2026 will primarily be a year of integration, the company could revisit mergers and acquisitions in the second half of the year as it continues expanding the XRP ecosystem. Ripple Prioritizes Integration After $4 Billion Investment Push Speaking during an online XRP Community Day event, Garlinghouse said Ripple is unlikely to announce major acquisitions in the near term. Instead, the company plans to focus on integrating businesses acquired during an aggressive expansion phase in 2025. Last year, Ripple deployed approximately $4 billion across investments, mergers, and acquisitions. Two of the most notable transactions…
Binance has completed the full conversion of its $1 billion Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) into Bitcoin, reinforcing its position that BTC serves as a long-term reserve asset during periods of market stress. SAFU Fund Now Holds 15,000 Bitcoin The exchange confirmed it acquired approximately $304 million in Bitcoin in its latest purchase, bringing total SAFU holdings to 15,000 BTC. According to company disclosures, the coins were accumulated at an average aggregate cost basis of about $67,000 per Bitcoin. Binance said in a X post; The final tranche followed a $300 million purchase earlier in the week, allowing Binance to…
Russia has reportedly blocked access to WhatsApp, intensifying concerns over digital restrictions as authorities promote a state-backed alternative platform. WhatsApp Accuses Moscow of Forcing Shift to State App WhatsApp, owned by Meta, said efforts to restrict access would impact tens of millions of users across the country. In a public statement, the company described the move as an attempt to isolate more than 100 million people from secure and private communication, warning it could reduce overall digital safety. Industry estimates suggest Russia is one of WhatsApp’s largest markets, with approximately 72 million monthly active users, ranking fourth globally behind India,…
Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest continued building its exposure to crypto-related equities, adding more shares of Bullish and Circle as part of a sustained accumulation strategy. Ark Invest Buys Bullish Shares for Tenth Consecutive Session The asset manager purchased 364,044 shares of Bullish across three exchange-traded funds, representing roughly $11.6 million based on the latest closing price. The move marks the tenth straight trading day Ark has increased its stake in the Peter Thiel-backed digital asset exchange. Bullish shares recently rebounded 28.3% over a five-day stretch after closing at a low of $24.90 on Feb. 9. The stock ended Wednesday at…
Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy is preparing to rely more heavily on preferred stock offerings to finance future Bitcoin purchases, signaling a shift away from issuing common equity. CEO Phong Le said the company plans to transition from traditional equity capital toward preferred capital as it refines its long-term funding model. Preferred Stock Becomes Core Funding Strategy Strategy’s perpetual preferred stock, branded as STRC, was introduced in July and offers an annual dividend exceeding 11%, targeting investors seeking steady income. The product represents the company’s fourth perpetual preferred issuance and is designed to raise capital for Bitcoin acquisitions without diluting common…
Institutional crypto lending platform BlockFills has temporarily suspended customer deposits and withdrawals following last week’s sharp downturn in Bitcoin and the broader digital asset market. The company said the move was taken to stabilize liquidity during heightened market stress. Bitcoin Price Drop Triggers Liquidity Measures Bitcoin fell roughly 24% in a matter of days, sliding from about $78,995 to near $60,000 as volatility swept through crypto markets. The decline followed broader macro uncertainty and heavy liquidations across derivatives markets. BlockFills stated that the suspension remains in place while management works with investors and clients to restore normal liquidity conditions. Despite…
Elon Musk has confirmed that X Money, the long-anticipated payments feature tied to his “everything app” strategy, is expected to enter external beta testing within the next one to two months. Speaking during an internal presentation at his artificial intelligence company, Musk said the payments system is already operating in closed beta for employees. A limited public rollout will follow before expanding to X users globally. X Money to Anchor Everything App Vision Musk described X Money as a central hub for monetary transactions within the platform. The feature is designed to integrate directly into X, supporting the broader ambition…
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum Foundation AI lead Davide Crapis have outlined a proposal to use zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography to protect user privacy in artificial intelligence applications while maintaining safeguards against abuse. Zero-Knowledge Proofs for Private AI API Calls The proposal addresses growing concerns around privacy in large language model (LLM) usage. Every interaction with an AI chatbot generates an API call, often tied to identifying information such as email addresses or payment details. According to the developers, current systems force providers to choose between identity-based access, which compromises privacy, or onchain payments per request, which can be costly…
Thailand has approved a Finance Ministry proposal allowing digital assets to serve as underlying instruments in the country’s derivatives and capital markets, marking a significant regulatory shift for the region’s digital asset sector. Thailand Derivatives Market to Include Bitcoin and Digital Tokens Under the new framework, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission will amend the Derivatives Act to formally recognize cryptocurrencies and certain digital tokens, including Bitcoin and carbon credits, as eligible underlying assets. The reform is designed to align Thailand’s financial markets with international standards while strengthening investor protection and regulatory oversight. Officials say the move positions Thailand as a…