James Walker
24 articles on Bitcoin World News
Articles by James Walker
Crypto Gang Stole $245M as 22-Year-Old Pleads Guilty
Cryptocurrency theft surpassed $245 million after Singaporean citizen Malone Lam, 22, pleaded guilty on Sept. 8 in U.S. District Court in Washington to a RICO conspiracy. Prosecutors said he led an international network that combined online impersonation with brazen home break-ins and laundered proceeds into luxury spending.
Anthropic Valued at $2.12T by Crypto Synthetic Perps
Anthropic was assigned a roughly $2.12 trillion implied valuation on Sept. 9 as synthetic ANTHROPIC/USDT perpetuals traded near $2,120 with a 1 billion share assumption. The pricing, mirrored across multiple exchanges, underscores crypto traders’ appetite for pre-IPO exposure and contrasts with OpenAI’s $1.58 trillion implied figure.
Crypto Fraudster Claimed $0.34 After Hiding Millions
Cryptocurrency fraud took center stage as a Virginia man convicted of stealing more than $2.5 million from investors allegedly concealed millions in crypto, then declared just $0.34 in assets in bankruptcy. A federal jury in Alexandria found Jihoon Park, 52, guilty on Sept. 8 for defrauding investors and the court.
U.S. Bank pilots USBDC after one live cross-border test
U.S. Bank advanced its stablecoin initiative, USBDC, after completing one live cross-border payment test. The fifth-largest U.S. commercial bank said it is exploring USBDC for treasury payments, liquidity management and collateral, signaling a push to modernize cash movement for institutional clients and streamline settlement across borders.
Iran eases FX rules to allow crypto repatriation by exporters
Cryptocurrency repatriation gained a foothold in Iran as authorities eased currency controls, allowing exporters to bring overseas earnings home in crypto and use them to fund imports directly. The shift enables trade to bypass the official foreign-exchange system, signaling a policy pivot with implications for cross-border settlement.
Bitcoin Theft Ringleader Pleads Guilty in $245M Fraud
Bitcoin theft case advanced as 22-year-old Singaporean Malone Lam, a Miami resident, pleaded guilty to leading a $245 million crypto fraud that stole 4,100 bitcoin. The ring used online scams and home invasions, underscoring escalating risks to cryptocurrency holders and the scale of organized theft targeting digital assets.
Republican Senators Warn CLARITY Act May Fail in September Vote
Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is unlikely to pass when the Senate votes on Sept. 15, two Republican senators said, citing unresolved ethics provisions tied to President Donald Trump’s family. Their assessments indicate the bill lacks votes unless the White House engages on language Democrats insist on keeping.
Mexico seizes 300 crypto mining rigs at hydro dam site
Mexico seized 300 crypto mining rigs on Sunday from a property in Puebla’s Sierra Norte that was illegally drawing electricity from a federal hydroelectric complex. Federal prosecutors, the Navy, and Puebla state police also removed transformers, medium‑voltage terminals, and active satellite internet equipment at the Tlaola site, a municipality of roughly 20,000 people.
Bitcoin Custody: Block Seeks OCC Charter After $10.7B Volume
Bitcoin custody took center stage Tuesday as Block Inc. applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national trust bank charter. The move aims to house Builders Bank & Trust, an uninsured, non‑depository entity to safeguard digital assets, following $10.7 billion in Bitcoin transaction volume in 2025.
LAPTOP token launches Wednesday as Hunter Biden targets TRUMP
LAPTOP token will launch Wednesday, with Hunter Biden positioning the project as a response to TRUMP token losses. He called TRUMP a “grift” and said LAPTOP is about “resilience, redemption and recovery,” pledging distributions to nearly one million wallets identified as having lost money on TRUMP.
Bitcoin Tax Exemption Could Add $859M Over 10 Years
Bitcoin de minimis tax exemption on crypto payments could deliver a 10-year net federal revenue gain of about $859 million. The policy, under discussion in the United States and relevant to G20 economies, may also support bitcoin’s price while expanding taxable activity, according to a new academic analysis.
Bitcoin nears $79K as Zcash jumps 43% on $500M fund
Bitcoin (BTC) recovered toward $79,000 on Tuesday after briefly dipping to nearly $77,600, leaving it little changed on the day. Zcash (ZEC) outperformed, rising about 43% on the week as a new Grayscale fund crossed the $500 million mark. The divergence highlights selective risk appetite across cryptocurrencies.
BTCB2 Sparks XBT Ticker Fight After Fork at Block 961632
BTCB2 pushed into a fresh controversy after persuading a couple of small trading venues to list the coin under the XBT ticker. The minority chain forked from Bitcoin on Aug. 8, 2026 at block 961632 and later switched to BLAKE2b on Aug. 30, moves that have stirred arguments across trading and infrastructure circles.
Bitcoin Golden Cross Goes Live as Bulls Watch for a Sustained Rally
Bitcoin has officially formed a golden cross as its 50-day moving average moves above the 200-day average. History shows the signal can precede major gains, but it is not a guarantee of a lasting rally.
CLARITY Act Faces Growing Doubts Ahead of Sept. 15 Senate Vote
Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti says lawmakers and congressional staff told him the CLARITY Act is effectively dead. The Senate is still scheduled to consider a cloture motion on Sept. 15.
SEC Advances 24/7 Trading and Blockchain Rules With Crypto Implications
The SEC is preparing a 24-hour U.S. trading roundtable while proposing new transfer-agent rules that could formally accommodate blockchain-based securities records.
UK Crime Agency Freezes $13.5M Premier League Axccount in Crypto Probe
The UK’s National Crime Agency has frozen more than $13.5 million held by the Premier League as part of an investigation potentially linked to crypto firm Sorare.
Strategy Spends $635M Buying Back STRC as Bitcoin Holdings Grow
Strategy has spent $635.2 million buying back STRC preferred shares while adding 4,603 BTC, bringing its Bitcoin holdings to 845,050 BTC.
London Stock Exchange Partners With Kraken Owner to Bring UK Stocks Onchain
The London Stock Exchange is partnering with Kraken owner Payward to bring the UK's largest listed companies to blockchain through tokenized equities.
Polymarket Raises $1 Billion at $21 Billion Valuation as Prediction Markets Surge
Polymarket is reportedly raising $1 billion at a $21 billion valuation, with Donald Trump Jr.'s 1789 Capital leading the round as prediction markets expand.
Bitcoin Futures Shift Toward Regulated Markets as BTC Rallies
Bitcoin futures positioning is increasingly concentrating on regulated venues as BTC rallies, suggesting professional traders may be favoring established markets while overall leverage remains cautious.
Thailand SEC Proposes Retail Access to Overseas Crypto Derivatives
Thailand's SEC is proposing rules that could allow retail investors to access certain regulated overseas crypto derivatives, including Bitcoin-linked products, through eligible intermediaries.
Polymarket Strengthens Surveillance Ahead of U.S. Midterms
Polymarket is strengthening its trade surveillance systems ahead of the U.S. midterm elections as regulators increase scrutiny of prediction markets, insider trading and crypto-based trading.
More Markets Loses $9.3M in DeFi Lending Exploit
More Markets reportedly suffered a $9.3 million exploit after an attacker used ankrFLOW and E-mode to overborrow WFLOW from a lending reserve on Flow EVM.
