November strengthened venture capitalists’ confidence in crypto and Web3 projects, with major funding rounds returning to the charts alongside seed capital for early-stage firms.  Cross-chain protocol Wormhole, for instance, secured a $225-million investment at a valuation of $2.5 billion. The round was led by Brevan Howard, Coinbase Ventures, Multicoin Capital, Jump Trading, …

Behind the wave of companies moving or deploying initiatives in the UAE is regulation. The country has introduced regulatory frameworks for decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), virtual asset providers, metaverses and other Web3-related entities. By offering regulatory clarity and a clear path to compliance — amid a crackdown in the United …

Top Stories This Week Bitcoin ETF race gets 13th entrant, BlackRock revises ETF model Asset manager Pando Asset has become an unexpected late entrant into the spot Bitcoin ETF race in the United States. On Nov. 29, Pando submitted a Form S-1 — used to register securities with the agency …

Imagine building a company from a $15 million initial coin offering to an impressive $60 billion empire. That’s exactly what Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has done with Binance since he founded the crypto exchange in 2017 before resigning on Nov. 21 as part of a settlement with the United States Department …

As the final weeks of 2023 approach, it’s fair to say that one of the most dominant trends and drivers of crypto companies’ strategies over the past months can be summed up in a single word: licenses.  In a tight regulatory environment, getting the green light from regulators has been …

Blockchain-based startups continue to gather funding during the current bear market, with MetaMask partner Blockaid raising $33 million in October. However, the overall funding in the crypto industry has dropped to levels last seen in 2020, amassing $2.1 billion over 297 deals in the third quarter of 2023, as reported …

The crypto industry continues to anticipate the approval of a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States as more investment managers file amended applications with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The high level of anticipation has even caused the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) to leap positions among …

Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried took the stand this week to testify in his ongoing criminal trial in the Southern District of New York, denying any wrongdoing between FTX and Alameda Research, while acknowledging making “big mistakes” during the companies’ fast-paced growth.  His official testimony started on Oct. 27, after a hearing …

Crypto lender BlockFi announced its emergence from insolvency this week, just a few days after FTX announced that it successfully reclaimed approximately $7 billion in assets. FTX debtors, comprising FTX and affiliates, estimate that $8.7 billion has been misappropriated from customers. BlockFi has lent FTX more than $650 million, making …

Caroline Ellison wasn’t doing a good job leading Alameda Research in 2022, and she did not hide it. Pieces of her personal notes shared as evidence by prosecutors on Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial revealed details about the trading firm’s struggles and its CEO’s desire to resign weeks and months before the …

Former FTX CEO Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried has been on trial since Oct. 3 in a federal court in New York, accused of seven counts of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud on FTX investors and customers. As expected, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is employing a forceful legal approach to …

Luxury real estate, political donations, investments, and magazine covers. A year ago, that was the life of Sam Bankman-Fried, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thane Rehn remarked during the opening statements of the world’s most famous crypto trial. “All of it was built on lies,” Rehn continued, claiming that the co-founder of …