Robinhood’s crypto arm has agreed to pay $3.9 million after being accused of preventing customers from withdrawing digital assets from their accounts over a four-year period. On Wednesday, the California Department of Justice said it marked the first public action by the regulator against a crypto firm as it continues to exercise its authority under the banner of “protecting consumers.” Findings from the California Department of Justice's investigation revealed Robinhood Crypto LLC allowed users...
Circle VP Warns US Risks Falling Behind in Stablecoin Regulation Amid Political Stalemate
The U.S. risks lagging in stablecoin regulation at the federal level amid competing jurisdictions worldwide, even as the Republican and Democrat parties work to establish clearer rules for the sector. The concern was highlighted by Circle’s Vice President, Yam Ki Chan, in an interview with Decrypt during Korea Blockchain Week on Wednesday, where he discussed global regulatory shifts. “Major jurisdictions around the world have set a minimum baseline for what a well-regulated stablecoin looks lik...
Core Blockchain Launches LstBTC for Bitcoin Liquid Staking
The Core Foundation on Thursday unveiled LstBTC, an ERC-20 liquid staking token pegged 1:1 with Bitcoin (BTC), aiming to solve a longstanding dilemma for Bitcoin holders: the choice between earning staking rewards and maintaining liquidity. This allows BTC holders to earn daily rewards in CORE tokens while keeping their Bitcoin liquid for use in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications at the same time. Speaking with Decrypt, Rich Rines—an initial contributor to Core DAO—said that Bitcoin makes...
Australia Introduces Non-Legally Binding AI Framework to Help Shape Future Policy
Australia has introduced voluntary AI safety standards aimed at promoting the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence, featuring ten key principles that address concerns around AI implementation. The guidelines, released by the Australian government late Wednesday, emphasize risk management, transparency, human oversight, and fairness to ensure AI systems operate safely and equitably. While not legally binding, the country’s standards are modeled on international frameworks, part...
Feds Seize Domains Linked to Russian AI Disinformation Campaign
The U.S. Department of Justice has seized 32 internet domains connected to a Russian disinformation campaign that used artificial intelligence and fake influencers to target U.S. citizens ahead of the 2024 election, the agency said on Wednesday. According to the agency, Russian entities used cybersquatting and AI-generated content to spread disinformation targeted at Americans—an ongoing influence campaign designated “Doppelganger.” “Today’s announcement exposes the scope of the Russian governme...
Telegram CEO Vows to ‘Significantly Improve’ Moderation of Criminal Activity After Arrest
Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the massively popular Telegram messaging platform, said the actions of French authorities were “surprising for several reasons.” Durov was arrested when he landed at Paris–Le Bourget Airport on Aug. 25, and was subsequently indicted for the use of Telegram for illegal activities, including drug trafficking, organized fraud, and the distribution of child pornography. French officials said Durov’s company had not done enough to combat criminal activity on Telegr...
Trump Doubles Down on Bitcoin, Says He's Got a Job for Elon Musk If Elected
During a speech before the Economic Club of New York on Thursday, Republican candidate for U.S. president Donald Trump asserted that the country would be the “world capital of crypto and Bitcoin.” In addition to reiterating his stance on digital assets, Trump also proposed—at the suggestion of Telsa CEO Elon Musk—a new government efficiency commission that will audit the federal government. “I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performa...