Crypto Industry News & Market Trends

Crypto hackers snatch over $1B in 68 incidents this year

Crypto has always been a risky space in which to put ones money, but the current rate of hacks has even multi-cycle veterans spooked.　　In 2026 alone, a grand total of $1.08 billion has been stolen in at least 68 incidents.　　Three major thefts account for the vast majority of the losses, two of which came in April. Its been a particularly rough month with 30 incidents so far, an average of more than one a day.　　Just this past week, Protos has identified 13 individual losses, including three on the same day this article was written. Although these were mostly for lower amounts, they totaled over $11 million of losses.　　In an attempt to keep readers up to date (not to mention staying on top of it ourselves!) Protos has put together a catalogue of crypto hacks; entries cover 2026 so far, generally with a $100,000 loss cut-off.　　Protos hack tracker can be found on the Live section of our website.　　There has been a 6 figure hack on ethereum basically every 6 hours for the last week, this is crazy　　Security firms struggling to keep up with crypto hacks　　Facing such an onslaught of hacks, even specialist crypto security firms seem unable to keep pace.　　Team members

04-30Industry

Warsh clears Senate hurdle, moves closer to Fed chair as crypto impact looms

The U.S. Senate moved a step closer to confirming as the next chair of the on Wednesday.　　A divided committee vote advanced his nomination. The move comes amid intensifying political scrutiny and market uncertainty.　　The approved Warsh in a 13–11 party-line vote. This clears a key procedural hurdle. It also positions him for likely confirmation by the full Senate before mid-May, when current chair s term expires.　　Warsh, a former Fed governor and Wall Street financier, has pledged a “regime change” at the central bank. He signaled potential change in communication strategy. He also pointed to changes in balance sheet policy and inflation management.　　However, the nomination has exposed deep political fault lines. Republicans have largely backed Warsh as a credible successor. Democrats have warned his appointment could undermine central bank independence. They point to perceived alignment with former President s policy preferences.　　The Feds policy outlook and internal tensions　　Financial markets are bracing for a potentially volatile transition. Investors expect no immediate policy changes. However, divisions within the suggest Warsh may face resistance. This could complicate any aggressive shift in interest rate policy.　　Warsh has acknowledged the likelihood of internal disagreement. He described the Feds policymaking process as a “family fight.” Officials remain split between inflation

04-30Industry

Ripple Prime Adds BTC Options via Bullish

The deployment of capital can be performed via existing sub-account structures in no time. Hence, there is actually no need to deal with additional Know Your Customer (KYC) hurdles.　　Furthermore, clients can use stablecoins, specifically Ripple USD (RLUSD), to trade these options directly.　　Executives from both companies argue that the move is a response to maturing market demands.　　According to Mike Higgins, International CEO at Ripple Prime, this upcoming feature will make it possible for institutions to improve capital efficiency when using multiple exchanges.

04-30Industry

First Prediction Market ETFs to Launch Next Week – Bloomberg Analyst

The post First Prediction Market ETFs to Launch Next Week – Bloomberg Analyst appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News　　The U.S. ETF market may be about to enter a completely new phase. Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart says the first-ever prediction market ETFs may begin trading next week, letting investors bet on U.S. election outcomes like regular stocks.　　This comes after Roundhills latest filing showed a May 5 effective date, opening the door for six new ETFs tied directly to upcoming U.S. political races.　　New Type of ETF Is About to Launch　　It all began on February 14, when New York-based fund issuer Roundhill Investments filed for a new group of ETFs linked to political prediction markets.　　The RPM Democratic President ETF and RPM Republican President ETF are tied to the outcome of the 2028 U.S. presidential election.　　The RPM Democratic Senate ETF, RPM Republican Senate ETF, RPM Democratic House ETF, and RPM Republican House ETF focus on the November 2026 midterm elections, tracking which party wins control of Congress after the votes are counted.　　Now, these six prediction-based ETFs could go live as early as next week.　　If launched, they would give investors a new way to take positions on political outcomes through regular ETF products.　　Prediction Market

04-30Industry

Market Reacts as Fed Holds Rates Steady, But Historic Dissent Signals Deeper Divide

The Federal Reserve delivered a widely expected pause on interest rates Wednesday, holding the federal funds rate at 3.50%–3.75%. However, the decision was overshadowed by a surge in dissent and a stark warning on geopolitical risks.　　Financial markets reacted, including crypto, with the Bitcoin price slipping below the $76,000 threshold.　　Bitcoin Falls Below $76,000 After FOMC Decision　　Todays FOMC decision delivered a rare show of division, where Beth Hammack, Neel Kashkari, and Lorie Logan voted against including an easing bias in the policy statement, despite supporting the decision to keep rates unchanged.　　Their opposition signals growing resistance wityhin the committee to prematurely signaling rate cuts.　　The level of disagreement marks the highest number of dissenting votes since the October 1992 FOMC dissent, underscoring deepening divisions over the future path of monetary policy.　　Alongside the internal split, the Fed struck a more cautious tone on global risks. Officials explicitly noted that “developments in the Middle East are contributing to a high level of uncertainty,” highlighting how escalating geopolitical tensions are complicating the economic outlook.　　Fed Chair Jerome Powell and the majority maintained that economic activity continues to expand at a solid pace, while inflation remains elevated. However, the absence of any clear signal toward easing suggests policymakers are

04-30Industry

US spends $25B on Iran conflict, ceasefire unlikely by April 30

Tech　　US spends $25B on Iran conflict, ceasefire unlikely by April 30　　The U.S. has spent $25 billion on its military operations against Iran, according to a senior Pentagon official. The probability of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire by April 30 is at 1.8% YES, down from 16% a week ago.　　Daily military costs exceeding $1 billion point to continued hostilities, not wind-down. Traders have responded by pushing ceasefire odds lower, and the April 30 ceasefire market is now approaching expiration with almost no movement.　　The market trades $50,697 in daily USDC volume. It takes $5,457 to move the price 5 points, indicating a thick order book. The largest move in the past 24 hours was a 1-point spike, consistent with stable sentiment against a ceasefire.　　The Pentagons $25 billion figure confirms the conflict is entrenched, making a near-term ceasefire less likely, not more. With no formal end to hostilities and daily costs above $1 billion, this is a bearish signal for any immediate resolution. Buying YES at 2¢ offers a 50x return but requires an improbable diplomatic breakthrough within a day.　　Watch for any movement from intermediaries like Oman or Qatar, or signals from Trump or CENTCOM indicating a shift in strategy. A sudden diplomatic event could

04-30Industry

AI finance platform Rogo raises 160M USD Series D led by Kleiner Perkins

AI finance platform Rogo raises 160M USD led by Kleiner Perkins to scale its agentic workflow OS for banks and asset managers, as AI agents sweep regulated finance.Rogo closed a 160 million dollar Series D round led by Kleiner Perkins, lifting total funding above 300 million dollars to scale its “agentic platform for finance” across major institutions.The New York‑based company builds workflow‑specific agents like Felix that plug into internal and external data to automate research, modeling, and client communications for more than 35,000 finance professionals.Backed by Sequoia Capital, Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures and J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners, Rogo plans deeper deployments inside large banks while expanding into Europe and Asia amid a broader funding wave for AI agent infrastructure.　　AI financial workflow platform Rogo has closed a 160 million dollar Series D round led by Kleiner Perkins, with participation from Sequoia Capital, Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners and others. The deal brings Rogos total funding to more than 300 million dollars and positions the New York‑based company to scale what it calls an “agentic platform for finance” across major global institutions.　　Rogo builds AI systems purpose‑built for financial workflows, rather than horizontal “office” use cases. Its flagship

04-30Industry

US Judge Bans Celsius Founder Mashinsky From Any Product Involving Assets

The Federal Trade Commission settlement decision also ordered Mashinsky to pay the commission $10 million.　　U.S. District Judge Denise Cote on April 28 signed off on a $10 million settlement between the Federal Trade Commission and Alex Mashinsky, the founder of collapsed crypto lender Celsius Network, according to court documents.　　The settlement permanently bans Mashinsky from promoting or operating any product or service involving the deposit, exchange, investment, or withdrawal of “assets” broadly, which could bar him from financial services beyond crypto.　　The stipulated order enters a $4.72 billion monetary judgment against Mashinsky, though his actual cash payment to the FTC is capped at $10 million. That obligation will be considered satisfied if Mashinsky pays an equivalent amount to the Department of Justice under a separate forfeiture order tied to his criminal case, the court filing notes.　　The order also permanently enjoins Mashinsky from misrepresenting any product or service he promotes.　　The civil settlement follows Mashinsky‘s sentencing last May, when a federal judge ordered him to serve 12 years in prison for fraud and market manipulation — specifically for artificially inflating the price of Celsius’s CEL token while secretly selling his own holdings.　　Celsius froze customer withdrawals in June 2022, cratering crypto markets and trapping funds

04-30Industry

Squads Secures $18M Investment: Altitude is Growing on Solana

Squads $18 Million Strategic Investment　　Squads, known for its Solana-based multisig protocol, has completed an $18 million strategic funding round to grow its new stablecoin platform Altitude. Solana Ventures led the round, with support from Coinbase Ventures, Haun Ventures, L1D, and other investors. The company‘s co-founder and CEO Stepan Simkin stated that the funding was executed as a single priced equity round, but did not share details on valuation or board seats. This capital brings Squads’ total funding to $42.9 million.　　Squads began talks for this round in October and finalized the deal in December; Haun Ventures also provided additional support following its investment in May last year.　　Altitude Platform Transforms Stablecoin Payments　　The Altitude platform enables businesses to transact with stablecoins 24/7 without relying on traditional banks; user treasuries are held in self-custodial wallets instead of fractional reserve bank accounts. The company states that the platform has processed over $200 million in payments for exporters, global agencies, crypto-focused firms, and cross-border teams. This system is backed by compliance programs meeting fintech standards such as continuous sanctions screening, anti-money laundering checks, transaction monitoring, and business verification; it integrates with platforms like SOL detailed analysis to offer global access and competitive pricing via Bridge or

04-30Industry

AML Fines Hit $1B in 2025, Surpassing SEC Crackdowns

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) enforcement has emerged as the top regulatory threat for the crypto industry, with U.S. authorities imposing $1.06 billion in AML-related fines during the first half of 2025, according to a report by blockchain security firm CertiK. This marks a dramatic pivot from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions (SEC) dominance in crypto enforcement in prior years.　　In 2025, the SECs crypto-specific penalties plummeted by 97%, dropping from $4.9 billion in 2024 to $142 million. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) led the AML charge, targeting operational lapses such as unlicensed money transmission and Bank Secrecy Act violations. Notable cases include a $504 million settlement with OKX in February 2025 and a $297 million penalty for KuCoin in January 2025, both for failures in licensing and compliance controls.　　“The shift reflects a significant change in policy focus, with regulators prioritizing compliance frameworks and financial surveillance over securities classification disputes,” CertiK noted. This shift is further underscored by a broader reassessment of the SEC‘s jurisdiction over digital assets, as highlighted in the DOJ’s 2025 policy to reduce “regulation by prosecution.”　　Global AML Trends Amplify Pressure　　The surge in AML enforcement isnt confined to U.S. borders. European

04-30Industry

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