US sanctions twelve entities for sales of Iranian oil to China

Tech  US sanctions twelve entities for sales of Iranian oil to China  The US Treasury Department‘s Office of Foreign Assets Control just added twelve names to its sanctions list, all tied to a network that funneled Iranian oil to Chinese buyers. The targets include three senior officials from the IRGC’s Shahid Purjafari Oil Headquarters and nine companies that served as the logistical plumbing for the operation.  The action is part of the Trump administration‘s broader “Economic Fury” strategy, a campaign designed to choke off the financial oxygen that fuels Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its support for terrorist organizations. The timing is notable: President Trump is planning a visit to Beijing, where pressing China to crack down on illicit Iranian oil imports is expected to be on the agenda.  Who got sanctioned and why  The three individuals named are Ahmad Mohammadi Zadeh, Samad Fathi Salami, and Mohammadreza Ashrafi Ghehi. All three are connected to an entity called Golden Globe, which has previously been targeted by US sanctions. Together, they reportedly handled hundreds of millions of dollars annually through that operation.  The nine companies on the list include Hong Kong Blue Ocean Limited, Ocean Allianz Shipping LLC, and Zeus Logistics Group. These firms were implicated in managing oil

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XRP News: Senator Warren Blocks Fed Master Accounts for Ripple, Crypto Firms in CLARITY Act

Crypto  XRP News: Senator Warren Blocks Fed Master Accounts for Ripple, Crypto Firms in CLARITY Act  In significant XRP news today, Senator Elizabeth Warren submits more than 40 amendments to the CLARITY Act, with one to block the Fed from issuing master accounts to crypto companies, including Ripple.  This move comes just ahead of Thursday‘s markup vote in the Senate Banking Committee. Anti-crypto Warren leads banking industry’s push against stablecoin yield compromise.  XRP News: Senator Warren Proposes Fed Master Accounts Ban for Ripple and Crypto Companies  The US Senate Banking Committee has reportedly received more than 100 amendments to the CLARITY Act draft text, Politico reported on May 13. These amendments target crypto stablecoin yield compromise, Bitcoin uses in traditional finance, and crypto companies.  Senator Elizabeth Warren submitted more than 40 amendments to oppose the CLARITY Act text. One proposal aims to prevent the US Federal Reserve from granting master accounts to crypto firms. XRP-linked Ripple, Anchorage Digital, Circle, and Custodia Bank have applied for Fed master accounts. As Coingape reported earlier, Kraken received a Fed master account.  “This bill puts investors, our national security and our entire financial system at risk – and it will turbocharge Donald Trump‘s crypto corruption. No Member of the Committee should

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eToro profit jumps 37% despite a sharp drop in crypto trading volumes

eToro has reported a rise in first-quarter profit after commodities trading activity surged, even as crypto volumes on the platform declined sharply.eToro reported a 37% rise in Q1 net income as commodities trading volumes jumped nearly four times from a year earlier.Crypto trading volumes on eToro fell 32% in April, even as the company expanded its New York crypto operations and completed its Zengo acquisition.  According to eToros quarterly earnings release published Tuesday, net income climbed 37% year over year to $82 million, while diluted earnings per share rose to $0.91 from $0.77 in Q1 2025. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $109 million from $80 million a year earlier, and net contribution reached $258 million, up 19%.  Commodity trading played a major role in the quarters performance. eToro said commodities generated nearly 60% of total trading commissions, with trading volumes rising almost fourfold from the same period last year. At the same time, the company expanded its traditional market offerings by adding Japanese stocks, increasing its exchange coverage to 26 markets.  Funded accounts reached 4.02 million during the quarter, up 12% year over year, while assets under administration rose to $17 billion. As of March 31, eToro held $1.3 billion in cash, cash equivalents,

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Ethereum (ETH) Introduces Clear Signing to Combat Crypto Transaction Hacks

Crypto Ethereum  Ethereum (ETH) Introduces Clear Signing to Combat Crypto Transaction HacksOn May 12, 2026, the Ethereum Foundation unveiled “Clear Signing,” a revolutionary security framework designed to transform unreadable transaction data into comprehensible language for users.The standard eliminates cryptic code displays, instead showing users straightforward descriptions of asset movements, recipient information, and permission grants.Developed using ERC-7730 as its foundation, the system features a transparent public registry allowing independent security experts to validate transaction descriptions.Major platforms like Ledger, Trezor, and MetaMask have committed to early adoption, with Trezor targeting implementation by June 30.This initiative responds to cryptocurrency losses totaling billions from blind signing vulnerabilities, such as the devastating $1.4 billion Bybit breach.  Cryptocurrency users frequently encounter screens filled with indecipherable code when confirming transactions. The typical response? Clicking approve without comprehension. This disconnect between what users see and what they understand has drained billions from the digital asset ecosystem.  0/ Clear signing is now live.  An open standard to end blind signing, making human-readable transactions default.  This effort brings a major UX and Security upgrade to transaction signing on Ethereum. pic.twitter.com/nIGRCBQh6G  — Ethereum Foundation (@ethereumfndn) May 12, 2026  The Ethereum Foundation is implementing a solution to this critical vulnerability.  The foundation, collaborating with prominent wallet development teams, revealed “Clear

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Charles Schwab Launches Bitcoin and Ethereum Trading for Selected U.S. Clients

Bitcoin Ethereum  Charles Schwab Launches Bitcoin and Ethereum Trading for Selected U.S. Clients  The post Charles Schwab Launches Bitcoin and Ethereum Trading for Selected U.S. Clients appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News  Brokerage giant Charles Schwab which manages nearly $11.8 trillion has officially launched spot crypto trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum, giving selected U.S. clients direct access to the two largest cryptocurrencies through its Schwab Crypto platform.  The move marks one of Schwabs biggest crypto expansions so far, mid growing adoption of digital assets across traditional finance.  Charles Schwab Launch Crypto Accounts to Retail Clients  Starting this week, selected retail clients can trade Bitcoin and Ethereum directly through Schwab.com and thinkorswim accounts instead of relying only on ETFs or crypto-related stocks.  Until now, Schwab mainly offered indirect crypto exposure through ETFs, futures products, and crypto-linked investment vehicles. The new Schwab Crypto platform operates separately from standard brokerage accounts.  Schwab Crypto accounts are now being rolled out to retail clients.  Starting today, the first group of clients can trade Bitcoin and Ethereum at Schwab, right alongside their other investments.  Sign up for updates and a chance to get early access: https://t.co/ELe1HWHS8Y pic.twitter.com/HJKbPUD7Ob  — Charles Schwab Corp (@CharlesSchwab) May 12, 2026  According to the company announcement, blockchain infrastructure firm Paxos handles trade execution and

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Ethereum Foundation names new co-leads for Protocol cluster

Ethereum  Ethereum Foundation names new co-leads for Protocol cluster  The Ethereum Foundation just reshuffled the leadership of its most important technical team. Will Corcoran, Kev Wedderburn, and Fredrik Svantes were appointed co-leads of the Protocol cluster on May 12, replacing the outgoing trio of Barnabé Monnot, Tim Beiko, and Alex Stokes.  The Protocol cluster, formerly known as Protocol R&D, is the core group responsible for designing and developing the Ethereum base layer.  A full leadership swap  All three previous co-leads are out, and three new faces are in. ETH held steady around $3,200 following the announcement, with 24-hour trading volume sitting at roughly $18B. Collectively, the incoming leads have contributed to over $2.5M in EF-funded grants.  What the Protocol cluster actually does  This team manages the research and development of Ethereums base layer, including consensus mechanisms, execution clients, and network upgrades.  The most pressing item on their agenda is the Glamsterdam upgrade. Glamsterdam focuses on two major technical priorities: stateless clients and Verkle trees. Both are critical for Ethereums long-term scalability.  Verkle trees are a more efficient way to store and verify blockchain state data, resulting in dramatically reduced data requirements for nodes. Stateless clients would allow nodes to verify transactions without holding all state data locally.  The Pectra upgrade,

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Ethereum’s New Clear Signing Standard Aims to Stop Crypto Theft Before It Happens

Crypto Ethereum  Ethereums New Clear Signing Standard Aims to Stop Crypto Theft Before It HappensThe Ethereum Foundation, alongside prominent wallet providers, has introduced “Clear Signing,” a security framework designed to transform crypto transactions into easily understandable, human-readable formats.The initiative eliminates cryptic code displays by providing clear descriptions of asset movements, recipient details, and permission requests.Built upon ERC-7730, the framework features a publicly accessible registry enabling independent security experts to validate transaction descriptions.Early implementation partners include Ledger, Trezor, and MetaMask, with Trezor targeting deployment by June 30.This development addresses security vulnerabilities that have resulted in billions of dollars lost through blind signing exploits, such as the $1.4 billion Bybit breach.  Every time cryptocurrency holders authorize a transaction, they‘re frequently confronted with indecipherable strings of code. Despite not understanding what they’re approving, most users proceed anyway. This disconnect between comprehension and confirmation has drained billions from the cryptocurrency sector.  0/ Clear signing is now live.  An open standard to end blind signing, making human-readable transactions default.  This effort brings a major UX and Security upgrade to transaction signing on Ethereum. pic.twitter.com/nIGRCBQh6G  — Ethereum Foundation (@ethereumfndn) May 12, 2026  The Ethereum Foundation has stepped forward with a solution.  On May 12, 2026, the organization partnered with leading wallet development teams to

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Schwab Crypto goes live as retail clients get BTC, ETH access

Charles Schwab has started rolling out Schwab Crypto to select retail clients, giving eligible users direct access to spot Bitcoin and Ether trading. Schwab Crypto lets eligible retail clients trade Bitcoin and Ethereum beside traditional investment products.Charles Schwab Premier Bank will custody assets, while Paxos handles execution and sub-custody services.The launch adds fee pressure as Morgan Stanley expands ETrade crypto trading at lower costs.  In a Tuesday post on X, the firm said the service lets clients trade crypto beside other investment products across Schwab platforms.  The rollout follows Schwabs April plan to launch the product in phases. The company said Schwab Crypto would offer direct Bitcoin and Ethereum trading, education, research and support. Jonathan Craig, head of retail investing, said clients want to conduct “more of their financial lives at Schwab.”  Bitcoin and Ethereum trading starts with limits  At launch, Schwab Crypto supports Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). Schwab said the two assets account for about three-quarters of total crypto market capitalization. Clients can view and trade crypto beside traditional investments through Schwab.com, Schwab Mobile and thinkorswim.  The product charges 75 basis points on the dollar value of each trade. Schwab also said the account is separate from a brokerage account, though it is

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BlackRock CEO Larry Finks alleged bullishness on Venezuela doesnt hold up to scrutiny

Tech  BlackRock CEO Larry Fink‘s alleged bullishness on Venezuela doesn’t hold up to scrutiny  Larry Fink, the CEO of the worlds largest asset manager, has reportedly expressed optimism about investing in Venezuela following political changes in the country. The claim has circulated widely, painting a picture of BlackRock eyeing one of the most economically distressed nations on Earth as a fresh opportunity.  Heres the thing: what Fink actually discussed during a recent BlackRock webinar tells a considerably different story. His remarks centered on geopolitical matters and the future of AI investments, not on any endorsement of Venezuelan opportunities.  What Fink actually said  During the webinar, Fink focused on sustainable AI investments and broader geopolitical stability, with a forward-looking lens aimed at potential stabilization by 2026. Venezuela, as a specific investment thesis, did not appear to be part of the conversation.  Venezuelas economic reality check  Venezuela now represents just 0.01% of global GDP. For context, thats a collapse from roughly 1.0% of global GDP fifty years ago. A hundredfold decline in relative economic weight is not a typo. Its a catastrophe.  The country sits on the world‘s largest proven oil reserves. But decades of mismanagement have gutted the nation’s production capacity to the point where it accounts for less

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DTCC Taps Chainlink for Tokenized Collateral Launch in Q4 2026

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has announced plans to integrate Chainlink‘s blockchain oracle technology into its Collateral AppChain platform. This move is a critical step ahead of the platform’s anticipated Q4 2026 launch, aiming to modernize collateral management by enabling 24/7 tokenized asset workflows.  DTCC, which handles $114 trillion in liquid assets, said the integration will streamline functions like margining, collateral optimization, and real-time settlement of tokenized assets. According to Nasdaq‘s research, 52% of financial institutions expect to manage live tokenized collateral by the end of 2026, yet inefficiencies persist. A staggering 70% of surveyed firms experience daily issues with settlement matching and delivery due to outdated, manual processes. DTCC’s blockchain-powered solution seeks to address these pain points while improving capital efficiency across financial markets.  Chainlink, a decentralized oracle network, will provide the infrastructure to connect off-chain data with on-chain operations. By automating data flows and ensuring secure and accurate valuations, the technology aims to support seamless collateral management for custodians, triparty agents, and asset managers.  DTCCs integration is part of a broader industry shift toward tokenization. Earlier this month, DTCC revealed plans to pilot tokenized securities trading in July 2026, with a full rollout targeted for October. This initiative involves

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