Latest news with #Bitcoin-based
Hindustan Times
28-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Over 10k SIMs blocked as job, investment frauds rise in Prayagraj
Online investment traps, fake part-time job offers, and Telegram-based fraud networks have emerged as major platforms for cyber crimes in Prayagraj, prompting a year-long crackdown by the district's Cyber Cell. Between July 2024 and June 2025, authorities blocked 10,400 SIM cards, 612 mobile phone IMEI numbers, and 59 mule bank accounts allegedly linked to these digital scams, officials said on Monday. 10,400 SIM blocked, 612 IEMI blocked in past one year (Sourced) Many of the SIM cards were issued using fake identities and were reportedly used by interstate and international gangs to lure victims with promises of high profits and quick earnings. The fraudsters often guided users to join Telegram channels under the pretext of giving free tips on stock markets, remote jobs, or financial investment advice, police said. According to deputy commissioner of police (Trans Ganga) and nodal officer for cyber operations, Kuldeep Singh Gunawat, these networks were found to be operating from countries including Nepal, Pakistan, China, Dubai, and Myanmar. Funds from victims were often diverted through multiple accounts within minutes, making the fraud difficult to trace. To counter the growing cyber threat, the district has set up five-member Cyber Units at each of the 43 police stations. These units include a sub-inspector, a head constable, a constable, a lady constable, and a computer operator. Gunawat said the most reported tactics used by fraudsters include share market scams, job frauds in other states, and mobile app-based schemes. Victims are typically enticed with offers of easy income, and later manipulated into transferring money under various pretexts. Cyber officials have also issued an advisory urging users to avoid clicking on unknown APK links or messages on WhatsApp and Telegram, and to immediately block SIM cards, bank accounts, and payment cards if their mobile phones are lost. Citizens have also been warned against responding to video calls from unknown numbers and sharing OTPs with anyone. Cyber cell in-charge Ghanshyam Yadav said nearly a dozen complaints related to digital arrest threats and Bitcoin-based frauds have been registered. He added that cyber gangs were using API apps to gain unauthorised access to OTPs sent to Indian SIMs, posing new challenges for investigators.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DeFi in Q2 Review: The New Gold Rush Is… Stablecoins?
Everyone's rushing into stablecoins, but the numbers look... the same. In Q2, it felt like you couldn't go a day without a major stablecoin announcement. JPMorgan launched its USD Deposit Token on Base. Coinbase debuted its stablecoin payment stack following the Shopify partnership. Anchorage Digital acquired USDM issuer Mountain Protocol. Ubyx raised $10 million for stablecoin clearing infrastructure. Bitcoin-based Plasma filled its $1 billion deposit cap in 30 minutes. All within weeks of each other. But despite all this activity, stablecoins remain a brutally concentrated, 'winner takes most' market. Of the roughly $250 billion in circulating stablecoin supply, Tether claims $158 billion (2.5x Circle's $62 billion), while USDC dwarfs the third-largest dollar-pegged asset, USDe ($5.3 billion), by 11x. While yield-bearing stablecoins and tokenized treasury products like USDe, sUSDS, BUIDL, and M0 create new competition vectors, distribution still wins. The ultimate winner won't be determined by the highest yield from a novel mechanism, but by distribution and utility. The most valuable stablecoin will be the one that is seamlessly integrated, trusted, and accepted everywhere. I have no doubt that lots of money will continue to flow into stablecoins as 'dollars on a blockchain' have established themselves as one of the largest markets to be won in crypto. Though the more interesting question to me is how do you help users make use of their stablecoins once they hold them? Mini Apps: Mobile-First Crypto Finally Arrives For years, DeFi's complexity has been its greatest barrier to adoption. Q2 marked a turning point as the industry rallied around a new access layer: mini apps. Coinbase Wallet (building on the Farcaster Frames framework) invested in revamping Coinbase Wallet into a Mini App platform. World's mini-app ecosystem exploded and caught builder attention. Opera launched its standalone MiniPay app for iOS and Android. The strategy is clear: embed DeFi's power within familiar, user-friendly interfaces. Mini-apps are finally dragging DeFi into the mobile age. Unlike previous cycles, UX isn't an afterthought—UX is the product. Platforms with distribution now aspire to become superapp-like structures where developers fight to tap into captive user bases, much like WeChat in China. By abstracting away gas fees, seed phrases, and hexadecimal addresses, these apps make on-chain finance accessible without forcing users to understand the underlying complexity. Sophisticated Capital Structures Return (Without the Baggage) One of Q2's most interesting developments has been the quiet return of structured products to DeFi. Protocols like Resolv, Aave's Umbrella initiative, and are building products that look familiar to any TradFi professional. By offering features mirroring tranching and promoting yield optimization, they provide differentiated risk profiles that can accommodate the specific mandates of institutional investors, from pension funds to corporate (and DeFi) treasuries. It's a move beyond simple, high-risk yield farming and toward a financial system that can price and allocate risk in a sophisticated way. It's the infrastructure needed to manage capital at scale. A Blurring of Financial Worlds The distinction between "crypto" and "TradFi" is further dissolved. Superstate's Opening Bell platform facilitated the first direct issuance of SEC-registered public shares on-chain, and Kraken rolled out commission-free stock trading alongside its crypto offerings. When traditional assets can move on new rails and users can access both systems from a single interface, it no longer makes sense to think about these as 'crypto' or 'fintech' products. Of course the two examples above highlight 'stocks' coming to crypto, but the opposite is also true where nearly all major fintech applications have or are adding crypto in some capacity. The market has moved from experimental to essential. Looking Forward: A Different Kind of Bull Market Q2 2025 will likely be remembered as the quarter when DeFi stopped trying to reinvent finance and started improving it. The stablecoin infrastructure being built by traditional institutions, the mobile-first experiences emerging through mini-apps, and the sophisticated products being developed by mature protocols all point to the same conclusion: DeFi has found its footing. The acquisition activity tells the story: strategic deals like Privy's exit to Stripe and Anchorage's acquisition of Mountain Protocol continue the trend of crypto infrastructure companies being valued and acquired by larger players. This isn't the speculative mania of previous cycles. It's more accessible, efficient, and global financial services at scale. The gold rush mentality that characterized crypto's early years is giving way to railroad building. And historically, the companies that build the railroads tend to outlast those that just dig for gold. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Payments entity ZBD secures EMI licence in Netherlands
ZBD, a provider of payment solutions for the interactive entertainment industry, has obtained an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence in the Netherlands. The licence follows its approval under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) in December 2024. The EMI licence authorises ZBD to engage in activities such as the issuance and transfer of fiat electronic money, provision of debit cards, and the future offering of virtual IBANs for both individual and business clients. The dual licencing enables ZBD to operate a range of fiat and cryptocurrency services across the European Economic Area (EEA). ZBD COO Marca Wosoba stated: "Securing the EMI licence is a crucial step in our mission to be the next-gen PSP for interactive entertainment. 'By combining our innovative Bitcoin-based solutions with traditional fiat services, we're creating a truly comprehensive and innovative financial ecosystem for our users across the EEA." Additionally, ZBD forged a partnership with ClearBank, which will act as its banking partner within the EU and EEA. ClearBank will manage operational and safeguarding accounts, facilitating the integration of Euro and Bitcoin balances for ZBD's EU user base. ClearBank Europe COO Ezequiel Canestrari said: "This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to delivering secure, scalable, and forward-thinking solutions, and we're excited to be part of ZBD's growth journey, unlocking our clients' potential to innovate revolutionary fintech products. We look forward to supporting their continued success." "Payments entity ZBD secures EMI licence in Netherlands " was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. 擷取數據時發生錯誤 登入存取你的投資組合 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤
Business Insider
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Botanix Launches Mainnet to Power the Bitcoin Economy with Chainlink, Fireblocks, GMX, Dolomite and Others
New York, United States, July 1st, 2025, Chainwire Botanix is the first and only EVM-equivalent Bitcoin L2 that is decentralized from the start meaning no single entity, including Botanix Labs, can unilaterally influence or control the network as the network is run by a growing federation of industry-leading node operators. Users can now trade, lend, borrow, stake, pay, LP, leverage, go short, go long, and stay stable all in bitcoin on Bitcoin, with an expanding ecosystem of Bitcoin-native applications. Launching today, Bitcoin 2100 is a retro-futuristic immersive experience where players can earn bitcoin by exploring a world built on Bitcoin. Each house in the experience highlights a live app on the Botanix network, making it a fun way to discover what's possible when Bitcoin becomes programmable. Botanix Labs, the protocol research team developing Botanix, the Bitcoin-based blockchain that powers the Bitcoin economy, today announced the launch of Botanix mainnet, with live applications including GMX and Dolomite, and ecosystem partners such as Chainlink and Fireblocks now active on the network. This milestone also marks the launch of new Bitcoin-native applications committed to building exclusively on the network, including Arch, Bitzy, Palladium, and Rover. With the launch of Botanix, Bitcoin users experience a significant improvement in transaction times, with block times reducing from 10 minutes to five seconds, and $0.02 transaction fees on average. Mainnet goes live just days after Botanix officially transitioned governance and consensus to a 16-node founding federation of independent node operators, including Galaxy, Fireblocks, Alchemy, Antpool, XBTO, Kiln, Chorus One, and others. With this transition and the support of the Spiderchain, a novel Bitcoin scaling cryptographic primitive, Botanix becomes the first and only secure Bitcoin-based blockchain that is decentralized from inception, which means no single entity, including Botanix Labs, has control over the network. Botanix expects the operator set to expand beyond 100 in 2026. 'We've spent the last two years building Botanix to give Bitcoin real utility without compromising on self-custody,' said Willem Schroé, CEO and Co-Founder of Botanix Labs. 'Too many Bitcoiners have been burned by centralized platforms, which is why Botanix is fully decentralized at launch. No single party, including us, can touch a user's Bitcoin, and that's why I'm incredibly excited to see mainnet go live and finally put real tools into the hands of Bitcoiners. If we want a world that runs on Bitcoin, we have to build systems that honor its core principles of self-custody, open participation, and global fault tolerance.' As part of the mainnet launch, Botanix is also introducing 'Bitcoin 2100', a retro-futuristic immersive experience that invites users. Players can collect free bitcoin, denominated in sats, by playing in a stylized world set in the year 2100, where Bitcoin has become the rails of a new financial system. Each house within the experience represents a different live application on the Botanix network, offering a creative and engaging way for users to discover what's possible when Bitcoin becomes programmable. Both mainnet and Bitcoin 2100 are live beginning today. "Botanix adopting Chainlink is a significant step towards redefining what's possible for Bitcoin,' said Johann Eid, Chief Business Officer at Chainlink Labs. 'Botanix developers are now equipped to build advanced applications and unlock new utility for Bitcoin. This is a pivotal moment for the evolution of Bitcoin finance and the broader Bitcoin economy." Botanix testnet has completed over 26M transactions since its launch in December 2024. Founded in 2023, Botanix Labs is the protocol research and development team that initiated and coined the Spiderchain protocol and developed Botanix, an EVM-equivalent Bitcoin L2. With Botanix fully decentralized and independently operated, Botanix Labs contributes through research, developer tooling, and ecosystem growth. Contact Margaret Botanix
Business Wire
17-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Core Leads Bitcoin Track at Permissionless IV Amid Growing Institutional Interest
SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Core Foundation, the entity powering Core, the leading Bitcoin scaling protocol, is set to present the most exciting Bitcoin track at Permissionless IV, one of the industry's largest builder and developer gatherings, taking place June 24–26. As institutional and developer interest in Bitcoin-based applications grows, Core is anchoring key conversations on Bitcoin's expanding financial use cases, through curated panels, fireside chats, and community showcases. Bitcoin Track Curated by Core On June 24 at Permissionless IV, there will be a dedicated Bitcoin Track presented by Core, spotlighting key voices driving the next chapter of Bitcoin, from DeFi and credit markets to scaling debates and infrastructure design. The afternoon kicks off with 'Bitcoin DeFi: Making BTC a Productive Asset' (1:30–2:10pm), a deep dive into structured yield and Bitcoin-native credit markets. Speakers include Darren Mims (Blockworks Research), Sid Powell (Maple), Brendon Sedo (Core), Jacob Phillips (Lombard), and MacLane Wilkison (Threshold Network), who explore how institutional appetite for BTC as collateral is evolving. Next up, from 2:10–2:30pm, 'How Should Bitcoin Scale?' pits different approaches against each other in a lively debate featuring Simanta Gautam (Alpen Labs), Willem Schroe (Botanix), and Macauley Peterson (Blockworks). At 2:30pm, Pete Rizzo (Blockworks) moderates 'Where to Build in the Bitcoin Network,' a conversation with Rich Rines (Core), Jeff Garzik (Hemi), and Muneeb Ali (Stacks) on how to approach L2s, smart contract layers, and modular execution on Bitcoin. From 3:10–3:30pm, the spotlight shifts to energy and infrastructure in 'Bitcoin & The Energy to Compute Value Chain' with Meltem Demirors (Crucible) and Michael Bucella (Neoclassic Capital). The day wraps up with a technical session at 3:30pm: 'The Core Dev's Guide to Bitcoin Network Upgrades,' led by Hunter Beast (Anduro), Jeremy Rubin (Judica), and William Foxley (Blockspace Media), offering a look at the mechanics and trade-offs behind proposed improvements to the Bitcoin base layer. On June 25 from 11:50am–12:10pm, Rich Rines, Initial contributor at Core, will deliver a main stage keynote titled 'The PoS Layer for Bitcoin'. He will outline how Core's infrastructure enables native Bitcoin staking while preserving the security guarantees of Bitcoin's base layer. The Bitcoin Yield House: A Dedicated Bitcoin Lounge In addition to the mainstage programming, Core will host its own Bitcoin Yield House to foster more intimate dialogue and networking across the Bitcoin ecosystem: June 25 2:00pm: Fireside: lstBTC & Institutional Bitcoin Adoption 3:00pm: Fireside: Why the Next Capital Supercycle Starts with Bitcoin? June 26 2:00pm: Panel: Activating Retail Through BTCfi Ecosystem 3:00pm: Fireside: The Rise of BTCfi as a Bitcoin Everything Chain. Each day's sessions are preceded by dedicated mingle hours to foster informal conversation and ecosystem connections. Permissionless is the right forum to highlight how builders and institutions are activating Bitcoin in new ways, from dual staking to Bitcoin yield strategies. With discussions touching on Bitcoin's evolving role, the 2025 edition of Permissionless underscores a renewed industry focus on Bitcoin-native innovation, and Core's central role in that discussion. About Core Core is the leading Bitcoin scaling solution, transforming idle Bitcoin into a productive, yield-generating asset that powers Bitcoin DeFi at scale. Core's Self-Custodial Bitcoin Staking allows holders to timelock Bitcoin directly on the Bitcoin blockchain to earn rewards, without taking on new risk. This trustless yield mechanism helps to secure the high-performance, EVM-compatible Core blockchain, where users can access an expanding universe of Bitcoin-focused decentralized applications. Core powers first-of-their-kind products like Valour's yield-bearing Bitcoin ETP and lstBTC, the first liquid, yield-generating Bitcoin asset. The network supports over $500M in DeFi TVL, backed by 7,000+ timelocked Bitcoin and ~75% of Bitcoin mining hash power. Permissionless
