Month in Money 01/2025
LayerZero settles with FTX estate, buys out FTX’s equity stake.
Stablecoin market cap surpasses $200B, up $40B since November.
ECB President says Bitcoin won’t be part of EU central bank reserves.
SEC approves Bitwise Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.
Pump Fun faces class action lawsuit over alleged securities violations.
Tether integrates USDT with Bitcoin Lightning Network.
CME Group to launch Bitcoin ‘Friday’ futures options on Feb 24, pending approval.
US Senator Menendez, who opposed El Salvador’s Bitcoin move, sentenced to 11 years for bribery.
Helium rewards successfully return to HNT.
Grayscale launches Grayscale Bitcoin Miners ETF - MNRS.
Czech National Bank proposes investing 5% of reserves in Bitcoin.
Powell confirms banks can fully serve crypto customers.
India proposes bill to allow state investments in Bitcoin ETFs.
Truth Fi expanding into FinTech with $250M investment in SMAs, ETFs, and crypto.
AI agent platform ai16z rebrands to ElizaOS.
Trump campaign manager and former senator appointed to Coinbase advisory council.
Robinhood launches futures trading for BTC, FX, and stocks.
Cardano moves to full decentralized governance after ADA hard fork.
Helium launches Helium Plus, letting users monetize extra Wi-Fi bandwidth.
SEC removes all Ripple XRP litigation records from its website.
Binance founder CZ invests $16M in airdrop service Sign.
Coinbase gains regulatory approval to expand in Argentina.
Utah House Committee advances bill to invest in digital assets.
Nasdaq-listed Nuvve adopts Bitcoin for treasury and payments.
X CEO reveals Visa as first Xmoney partner, launching later this year.
Ondo Finance brings $185M tokenized treasury to XRP Ledger with RLUSD integration.
France opens probe into Binance for money laundering and tax fraud.
Alchemy Pay secures AUSTRAC approval to offer fiat-to-crypto payments in Australia.
Humanity Protocol raises $20M at $1,1B valuation for Web3 identity system.
PayPal's PYUSD stablecoin integrates into Cardano ecosystem.
Tuttle Capital files applications for 10 leveraged cryptocurrency ETFs.
US Senate confirms Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary.
World Liberty Financial adds 3,247 ETH, now holding 59,329 ETH.
Ripple secures money transmitter licenses in New York and Texas.
TON Blockchain reveals 2025 roadmap featuring a layer 2 payment network launch.
MicroStrategy buys 10,107 BTC for $1,1B raising its holdings to 471,107 BTC.
OKX secures full MiCA license to offer regulated crypto services in the EU.
Ethereum Foundation sells 100 ETH, totaling 300 ETH sold this year.
Jupiter rises 40% as founder announces 50% of fees will go to token buybacks.
Russia's largest electricity provider Rosseti announces plans to start crypto mining.
Brazil orders World ID to halt crypto payouts for biometric data collection.
EU pushes digital euro as ECB warns US stablecoins may disrupt global banking.
Bitcoin wallets with $100+ grow 25% in a year, reaching 30M.
Senator Ted Cruz to propose resolution against IRS rule mandating DeFi brokers report user earnings.
Virtuals Protocol expands to Solana, launching Meteora Pool and SOL reserve to reward creators.
Petrobras to use associated gas for Bitcoin mining, aiming to boost efficiency and reduce emissions.
Polymarket under fire for resolving $120M TikTok ban market as "Yes" despite app's operation.
Trump vows to fire all Biden-era IRS agents.
Ohio State Representative Steve Demetriou introduces Strategic Bitcoin Reserve legislation.
Elon Musk explores blockchain to boost US government efficiency.
Fidelity hiring Solana Blockchain Engineer to boost DeFi and wallet capabilities.
Jupiter acquires majority stake in Moonshot, enabling Apple Pay for memecoins.
Ripple lobbying against a US Bitcoin strategic reserve.
MetaMask to expend with adding Bitcoin and other networks.
a16z closes London office to focus on the US crypto market under Trump-era regulatory support.
US securities regulator permits Wall Street banks to hold crypto.
Grayscale files for Solana and Litecoin ETFs.
Justin Sun accuses XCN Chain of market manipulation.
Tether partners with Medoo to launch a blockchain academy in Vietnam.
Blockstream launches two institutional funds, offering exposure to Bitcoin-backed loans and Lightning Network infrastructure.
David Sacks calls NFTs and meme coins "collectibles," focusing on their cultural value over speculative risks.
Circle enables USDC gas fee payments on Arbitrum and Base.
Trump signs executive order banning the creation of a CBDC in the US.
SEC withdraws crypto accounting guidance SAB 121 following Gensler's departure.
Chainlink CCIP launches on World Chain.
Phemex crypto exchange hacked for $70M.
Trump pledges to make the US the "World Capital of AI and Crypto" at Davos.
Trump signs executive order to explore a national digital asset stockpile.
OKX nears full license after pre-authorization from Malta's Financial Services Authority under MiCA.
Binance Labs rebrands to YZi Labs, expanding focus to Web3, AI, and biotech.
Morgan Stanley CEO announces collaboration with regulators to offer crypto transactions.
Senator Cynthia Lummis appointed chair of Senate Digital Assets Subcommittee.
Peckshield reports suspicious large fund outflows from Phemex hot wallets.
North Dakota proposes a bill to cap crypto ATM transactions to combat scams.
Solana sets record as the first blockchain to exceed $200B in monthly DEX volume.
Hackers hijacked Nasdaq’s X account to promote fake STONKS memecoin.
Uniswap Labs integrates Flashbots protection into mobile wallet to prevent MEV attacks.
LINE App launches Telegram-style dApps to drive Web3 adoption across Asia.
Kraken donates $111,111 in BTC to Ross Ulbricht to support his post-Silk Road transition.
Taiwan plans to legalize stablecoin issuance by banks in June 2025.
BNB Foundation completes its 30th quarterly burn, destroying 1,63M BNB worth $1,12B.
Kansas Senator proposes investing 10% of public retirement funds in Bitcoin ETFs.
Binance US lists Trump's memecoin.
Ethereum developer Eric Conner resigns after 11 years, citing concerns over centralized leadership.
Jupiter to airdrop 700M JUP to 2M eligible wallets.
Court lifts OFAC sanctions against Tornado Cash.
Corporates buying 2x new Bitcoin supply, driving demand higher.
The SEC appoints Hester Peirce to lead a task force focused on clearer crypto regulations.
Circle acquires Hashnote and its $1,3B USYC fund to integrate with USDC and expand market presence.
Crypto Com relaunches US institutional exchange, citing deep liquidity and stable banking.
Robinhood expands to Spain with crypto trading and staking under MiCA.
BNB Chain unveils an AI agent solution for easier creation and monetization processes.
Ross Ulbricht granted full pardon by President Trump.
MARA CEO Fred Thiel plans to expand the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve nationwide.
Telegram limits integrations making The Open Network its exclusive partner.
Bank of America CEO says the industry is ready to adopt crypto payments with regulatory approval.
Bitget reveals 20% of Gen Z and Alpha favor crypto pensions despite volatility concerns.
US Goverment Efficiency Department unveils its website featuring Dogecoin as its avatar.
Google Trends reports "How to buy crypto" searches hit an all-time high.
Calamos to launch Bitcoin ETF with downside protection, featuring one-year risk management.
SEC announces Gary Gensler's resignation as Chairman.
Trump vows to block a US CBDC, pushing private stablecoin adoption.
Mark Cuban considers launching a meme coin.
Runway CEO donates 52,3M MIRA tokens to Trump for pediatric rare disease research.
Ethereum Foundation considers staking $1B in ETH.
Fournier sells 50% of TIKTOK memecoin, causing market cap collapse from $90M to $5M.
World Liberty buys ENS domains for Trump family, sparking memecoin rumors.
Elon Musk’s DOGE faces federal transparency lawsuit.
Asset managers including VanEck and ProShares file crypto ETF proposals for SOL, XRP, and LTC.
Justin Sun confirms $45M TRON investment in Trump's World Liberty Financial, totaling $75M.
Melania Trump launches MELANIA memecoin, surging 24,000%.
SEC sues Nova Labs for unregistered securities tied to Helium mining.
Crypto "godfather" Adam Iza and ex-cop Eric Saavedra plead guilty to tax evasion and rights violations.
Tether and Kraken unveil USDT0 for seamless cross-chain transfers.
Ethereum Foundation reshuffles leadership for improved collaboration.
Moonshot gaines 400K users in 24 hours after TRUMP launch.
Authorities uncovered 500K+ KYC violations by Upbit in South Korea.
Binance pauses Solana withdrawals after TRUMP meme coin launch.
Open Campus DAO launches EDU Chain on Arbitrum, enabling tamper-proof educational credentials.
Ethereum's Pectra upgrade set for March 2025 with wallet, staking, and other enhancements.
Crypto Com secures MiCA license approval.
World Liberty Financial to acquire TRX for its treasury.
Trump launches official memecoin.
SEC accuses Digital Currency Group of investor deception.
WhiteBIT TR teams with Misyon Bank to launch Turkey’s first bank-secured crypto platform.
MakersPlace shut down after six years, citing market and funding challenges.
Mara inscribes Trump’s portrait into Bitcoin block, honoring his pro-Bitcoin stance.
Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary pick opposes US CBDC creation.
Tether launches USDT0, a 1:1 USDT-backed cross-chain stablecoin on Ethereum.
Phantom to raise $150M at a $3B valuation.
AAVE to consider Bitcoin mining plan with 33% annual treasury return.
Switzerland's PostFinance AG launches Ethereum staking services.
Binance mandates extra info for Belgian and Polish crypto transactions over €1,000.
Coinbase launches Bitcoin loans for US users.
South Korea’s regulator suspends Upbit over anti-money laundering violations.
BNB Chain debuts "AI Agent Competition" to highlight innovative AI agents.
Justin Sun announces new Tron DAO stablecoin offering 20% APY.
BitMEX fined $100M for Bank Secrecy Act violations.
SEC appeals to classify XRP as a security in Ripple case.
Indian telecom giant Jio partners with Polygon to bring Web3 to 450M users.
WGI and Vaultik to tokenize $3B in diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry on Hedera.
Canary Capital amends S-1 for Litecoin ETF.
Arkansas bill proposes banning crypto mining within 30 miles of military sites.
Dubai plans to build a 17-story Crypto Tower by 2027.
Thai police seek to block Polymarket over illegal gambling claims.
TON Foundation names Manuel Stotz as president.
Zondacrypto partners with Incore Bank to enter Switzerland's Crypto Valley.
SEC sues Elon Musk for alleged securities violations.
Chainlink CCIP v1,5 goes live on mainnet.
Ripple donates $100K in XRP to aid California wildfire relief.
Tom Emmer named Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, FinTech, and AI.
Osprey Funds applies for SEC approval to transform its Bitcoin trust into an ETF.
SEC delays Bitwise 10 Crypto ETF decision to March 3.
TON eyes US expansion under Trump-era crypto policies.
BlackRock launches Spot Bitcoin ETF on CBOE Canada.
Intesa Sanpaolo buys 11 bitcoins in Italy's first bank-led crypto transaction.
Chainalysis acquires AI fraud firm Alterya.
Tether to relocate to El Salvador.
Supreme Court rejects CZ appeal over unregistered token sales.
SEC charges Robinhood with 10+ securities violations.
Sony launches Soneium Mainnet via Block Solution Labs.
Trump admin forms 24-member crypto council to draft laws, build BTC reserve, and boost clarity.
Indian Railways to issue NFT-based train tickets for MahaKumbh Mela.
OpenSea email leak exposes 7M addresses online.
Mudrex halts withdrawals until Jan 28 for compliance upgrades amid user backlash.
Mango Markets shuts down after SEC settlement, MNGO tokens to be destroyed.
World verifies 10M users on digital ID network.
Canaan unveils Avalon Mini 3 and Nano 3S miners with home heating feature.
Russia sees crypto mining hardware sales triple YoY in Q4 under new rules.
AIXBT to launch first free PFP AI network agents on Jan 17.
New Hampshire and North Dakota to create Strategic Bitcoin Reserves.
Usual Protocol rolls out revenue sharing after USD0++ drops to $0,89.
South Korea to lift its seven-year crypto ETF ban in 2025.
Singapore blocks Polymarket citing unlicensed gambling.
DOGS reveals 2025 H1 roadmap with games, payments, and charity plans.
Macau Carbon Exchange completes Brazil's first blockchain-based I-REC transaction.
Singapore law enables police to freeze bank accounts for 150 days to combat scams.
Giving Block launches $2M crypto fund for California wildfire relief.
Multiple major X accounts including Foresight Ventures hacked to promote fake Solana 'AI agent' tokens.
Wolf Capital co-founder pleads guilty to $9,4M Ponzi scheme.
Messari cuts 15% of staff amid industry-wide crypto layoffs.
Meta shareholders urge an assessment on adding Bitcoin to the company treasury.
Biden appointee targets MetaMask and Phantom over "unauthorized" transactions.
Genius Group acquires $5M more in Bitcoin, raising total holdings to 372 BTC.
Kenya drafting legislation to legalize cryptocurrencies.
CFPB proposes rule requiring crypto firms to refund hack-related losses.
Arbitrum DAO votes to adopt BoLD protocol for safer Ethereum withdrawals.
Philippine banks to launch PHPX peso stablecoin on Hedera this year.
Bybit to restrict services in India.
Circle donates $1M USDC to Trump’s inaugural fund.
Standard Chartered launches crypto custody in Luxembourg.
MANTRA to tokenize $1B in real-world assets for UAE's DAMAC.
Orderly Network begins offering futures trading infrastructure to Raydium.
Russia to sell 1K Bitcoin seized in Infraud case.
UK Treasury clarifies PoS crypto staking is not a collective investment scheme.
Ripple confirms XRP ETF launch soon.
IMF urges Kenya to update crypto rules with global standards.
Coinbase Wallet enables global bank deposits converted to USDC fee-free.
Mastercard launches crypto credential solutions in UAE and Kazakhstan.
DOJ cleared to sell $6,5b in seized Silk Road BTC.
CFTC subpoenas Coinbase for customer info in Polymarket case.
Binance reports a 97% rise in institutional users in 2024.
South Korea to allow institutional crypto trading.
China to integrate blockchain into its national data infrastructure.
Oklahoma proposes paying state workers and vendors in Bitcoin amid dollar inflation concerns.
El Salvador adds 11 Bitcoin worth over $1M to its strategic reserve.
Trump launches official Bitcoin trading cards on Ordinals.
Hong Kong Monetary Authority launches initiative to help banks adopt DLT.
Thailand to launch crypto payments for Phuket tourists in 2025.
Bhutan’s Gelephu to add BTC, ETH, and BNB to strategic reserves.
Bitfinex Derivatives secures DASP license, moving operations to El Salvador.
Sui co-founder seeks OpenAI partnership for AI collaboration.
Ripple partners with Chainlink to boost RLUSD utility.
US CFTC Chair Behnam and SEC Chair Gensler to step down on Trump’s inauguration day.
Senator Cynthia Lummis discusses crypto reforms with SEC Chair nominee Paul Atkins.
Backpack Exchange acquires FTX EU to expand in Europe.
Solana developers propose a new hashing system to address scalability issues.
Czech National Bank governor considers adding Bitcoin to foreign reserves.
Gemini settles CFTC charges with $5M fine, avoiding January trial.
Vitalik sells 28 meme coins for 1M USDC, donates to Kanro charity.
Fed Vice Chair Michael Barr, known for his strict crypto banking stance, resigns.
USDD 2,0 Beta stablecoin launches on Tron.
MoonPay, BitStaete, ZBD, and HiddenRoad gain EU MiCA licenses.
Metaplanet plans to grow Bitcoin holdings to 10k BTC by 2025.
Jeju Island to launch NFT tourism card with Tamna Jeon stablecoin.
Vitalik Buterin proposes halting global computing to curb AI risks.
Strive, led by Vivek Ramaswamy, files for Bitcoin Bond ETF.
Chilean lawmakers push for Bitcoin committee to propose reserve opportunities.
FDIC orders 25 banks to halt Bitcoin product development.
Musk's X algorithm update sparks censorship concerns.
Coinbase secures European derivatives license via Bux’s Cyprus unit acquisition.
Solana developers launch optional quantum-resistant vault to safeguard user funds.
Aave community resists proposal to peg Ethena's USDe to USDT, citing risk concerns.
US controls over 40% of Bitcoin's global hash rate.
MicroStrategy to raise $2B for more Bitcoin.
Russ Millions' meme coin MILLION drops 99%, sparking scam allegations.
XRP surpasses USDT as 3rd largest cryptocurrency by market cap.
Bitcoin celebrates 16 years since Genesis Block launch.
Tether's market cap drops 1,5% after EU's MiCA implementation.
Plume partners with PinLink to tap into the $30T RWA tokenization market.
Binance hits 250 million users milestone.
IRS delays crypto tax reporting rules to 2026, easing broker compliance.
Do Kwon pleads not guilty to US fraud charges in Manhattan hearing.
Morgan Stanley's E-Trade eyes crypto trading services.
Garanti BBVA to launch cryptocurrency trading services in Turkey.
Binance approved by Brazil’s central bank, hits 21 global milestones.
Robinhood gifts $2,5M in Bitcoin to Gold members for New Year.
Crypto fundraising reaches all-time high in December 2024.
Binance Labs to rebrand in 2025.