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The Cardano community has approved a proposal from its main development team, Input Output Global (IOG), to spend 96 million ADA, or approximately $71 million, from the network's treasury. This funding, which was approved by a 74% majority, will support a 12-month development plan aimed at improving Cardano's scalability, interoperability, and the overall experience for developers. The plan includes key projects such as the Hydra protocol for faster, lower-cost transactions and Project Acropolis, which will re-architect the Cardano node to be more modular. This is the first time the community has directly authorized core development funding, marking a significant step in decentralized governance.
Despite the approval, the proposal did face some community opposition regarding the high costs, accountability, and transparency of how the funds would be used. In response, IOG has committed to a milestone-based funding release, with payments tied to the delivery of specific upgrades. The company is also required to provide monthly updates, engineering timesheets, and quarterly budget breakdowns, with the oversight of Intersect, a member-based organization. These measures are designed to address the community's concerns and ensure that the development team is accountable for delivering on its promises. Source
The recently released White House report on crypto policy, crafted by President Donald Trump's Working Group on Digital Assets, aims to provide much-needed regulatory clarity for the cryptocurrency industry in the United States. A key recommendation is to establish a clear division of labor between the SEC and the CFTC, with the CFTC gaining authority over spot crypto markets. This move is expected to end years of regulatory ambiguity and legal disputes over jurisdictional boundaries, laying the groundwork for a more stable and transparent crypto ecosystem. Legal experts believe this will allow for more consistent legal interpretations and foster a more coherent body of case law.
The report's recommendations also address a "key hurdle" to mainstream crypto adoption by providing a clear regulatory framework that could ease industry concerns over ambiguous securities laws. This is seen as a step toward promoting US crypto innovation. The report's release comes after the resolution of the high-profile SEC lawsuit against Ripple Labs, a case that highlighted the previous regulatory uncertainty. Analysts suggest the new recommendations may help to advance the Trump administration's agenda of fostering a more pro-innovation regulatory environment for digital assets. Source
Cosmo Jiang, a general partner at venture capital firm Pantera, argues that blockchain technology has the potential to modernize the U.S. electrical grid by using token incentives to encourage individuals to participate in a decentralized energy network. He likens this to the gig economy, where people monetize their free time and resources. In this model, individuals are incentivized to install solar panels or batteries in their homes, effectively creating a distributed energy grid without the need for massive capital expenditure and bypassing some of the regulatory hurdles associated with traditional centralized infrastructure development. This approach not only strengthens the grid but also democratizes energy production and distribution.
This idea aligns with the Trump administration's "America's AI Action Plan," which emphasizes the need to upgrade the U.S. energy grid to meet the demands of energy-intensive industries like AI data centers and crypto mining. The White House has highlighted the importance of a resilient and reliable grid to support these technologies. The administration's plan includes exploring nuclear energy and protecting the grid from disruptions, along with building redundant energy systems. The policy also aims to cut through regulatory red tape to accelerate infrastructure development, a goal that blockchain-based decentralized energy solutions could help achieve. Source
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has launched a "crypto sprint" to quickly implement a set of cryptocurrency-related recommendations put forth by the Trump administration. This initiative is a direct response to a report from the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, which called for a more coordinated regulatory approach. The CFTC's acting chair, Caroline Pham, stated that the agency will work closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on its own "Project Crypto" initiative, with a shared goal of establishing the U.S. as a global leader in the crypto space. The new plan outlines 18 recommendations for the CFTC, two of which are specifically directed at the agency: providing guidance on how cryptocurrencies can be considered commodities and how its rules apply to decentralized finance (DeFi).
A significant aspect of the White House's plan is to improve cooperation between the CFTC and SEC, with a focus on creating a unified rulemaking process and a regulatory sandbox for crypto innovation. Recommendations also include giving the CFTC clear authority to regulate spot markets for non-security digital assets. The CFTC has already begun to act on these plans, having met with crypto executives, withdrawn outdated guidance, and initiated a consultation process on 24/7 derivatives trading. These actions are part of a broader push to provide regulatory clarity and foster innovation, while addressing long-standing concerns about jurisdictional disputes between the two agencies. Source
A crypto user lost over $908,000 to a phishing attack that exploited a malicious ERC-20 approval transaction signed 458 days earlier. The scammer, linked to the notorious "pink-drainer.eth" address, waited patiently for over a year while the victim's wallet contained minimal funds. The attack was executed only after the victim deposited a large sum of money into the compromised wallet, at which point the attacker drained the entire balance in a single transaction. This delayed strike is a hallmark of this type of phishing scam, where bad actors monitor compromised wallets and strike only when the reward is significant.
This incident highlights the importance of regularly reviewing and revoking token approvals. A token approval is a permission a user grants a smart contract to spend a specified amount of tokens from their wallet on their behalf. While this feature is essential for decentralized applications (dApps) to function, it can be exploited if a user signs a malicious approval transaction, giving a scammer continuous access to their funds. Tools like Etherscan's Token Approval Checker allow users to see and revoke any unnecessary or old approvals, which, while incurring a gas fee, can prevent significant financial loss. This proactive step is crucial for maintaining wallet security and protecting funds from dormant malicious contracts. Source
Markethive, a blockchain-based social network, is introducing a second version of its newsfeed, called the Mini Blog Newsfeed V. 2, with the goal of creating a unique ecosystem for entrepreneurs. The platform aims to stand out from other social media sites by offering a more organized and user-friendly experience, moving away from cluttered feeds. This new version is designed to function like a mini-blogging system, with a streamlined layout that prevents large images from overwhelming the feed. The update also includes new features like the ability to schedule posts for future publication and a self-destruct option that automatically deletes posts after a set time.
In addition to the new general newsfeed, Markethive has a multi-feed concept that separates content into four specialized feeds, aiming to give users a more personalized and relevant experience. These feeds are designed to cater to specific interests, and advanced algorithms will be used to customize content for each user. For those who upgrade their membership, the newsfeed will also include an HTML editor for creating mini-blogs with multiple images and videos, as well as a unique permalink for each post that can be shared on other sites. A new comment feature has also been added, allowing users to comment on posts directly from their feed without having to open them individually. Source
In a recent AMA, Crystal Intelligence's Chief Intelligence Officer, Nick Smart, detailed the increasing threat of fraud and scams in the Web3 space, emphasizing that anyone can be a victim. He highlighted the rise of AI-powered scams, such as deepfake videos and hyper-personalized phishing attacks, which use emotionally manipulative dialogue to deceive people. Smart specifically called out long-term "romance scams," which he views as a form of betrayal that can have devastating psychological consequences. He stressed that these cross-border crimes are difficult to prosecute due to a lack of international cooperation and weak regulatory frameworks.
Smart's advice for combating these threats centred on both preventative measures and a rapid response. He urged individuals to adopt a sceptical mindset and to report fraud immediately, preserving all evidence like messages and wallet addresses. Crystal Intelligence’s technology traces stolen funds across blockchains, allowing for a higher chance of intervention if reported quickly. Smart concluded by advocating for greater international cooperation among law enforcement to close jurisdictional gaps and prevent criminals from winning the race against time. Source
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is launching a 10-city tour to host a series of roundtables as part of a new crypto outreach initiative. Led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, the SEC's Crypto Task Force will travel across the United States from August through December to gather feedback on potential digital asset regulations. This initiative is particularly focused on engaging with small crypto startups that may not have been able to attend previous roundtables held in Washington, D.C. The move signals a shift in the SEC’s approach, moving from an enforcement-heavy stance to a more collaborative dialogue with the industry.
This series of roundtables comes amid a broader change in the regulatory landscape under the current administration, which has signaled a willingness to embrace cryptocurrency and position the U.S. as a leader in the space. The SEC has already dropped enforcement actions against several major crypto firms and other government agencies are also easing restrictions on the industry. The new outreach initiative aims to ensure a comprehensive regulatory framework is developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders, especially new and small projects, as the government works to provide more clarity for the evolving crypto market. Source
The DeFi Education Fund (DEF) has formally requested that the U.S. Senate Banking Committee revise its draft of the **Responsible Financial Innovation Act of 2025** (RFA) to better protect the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry. In a letter signed by key members including a16z Crypto and Uniswap Labs, the DEF advocates for legislation that is technologically neutral and shields crypto developers from regulations intended for financial intermediaries. The group emphasizes the importance of preserving self-custody rights for individuals and argues that the new rules should curb illicit finance without hindering innovation. The DEF also urges the committee to update guidance from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to clarify that non-custodial software creators should not be treated as financial institutions.
In its feedback, the DeFi Education Fund also highlights the need for a unified federal approach to crypto regulation, arguing that a patchwork of state laws could be exploited by traditional financial institutions to stifle competition. The DEF calls for federal preemption to create consistent protections for developers across the country. Separately, a16z Crypto submitted its own response, focusing on a different aspect of the draft bill. Its primary concern is that the current language risks undermining investor protections by creating loopholes, particularly in how it defines "ancillary assets." A16z Crypto warns that this could allow insiders to sell tokens to the public without adequate regulatory oversight, advocating instead for a "digital commodity" model with clear decentralization requirements. Source
Strategy's Executive Chairman, Michael Saylor, is promoting a Bitcoin-backed preferred stock, STRC, to retirees as a high-yield alternative to traditional savings accounts. This new offering, which is designed to be a short-duration, high-yield instrument similar to money market funds, provides a 9.5% yield, far surpassing the 0.1% to 4% offered by traditional banks. The securities are perpetual, meaning they never mature, and pay monthly dividends backed by Strategy's substantial Bitcoin holdings, which recently exceeded $74 billion. This strategy comes after the company reported record quarterly profits of $10 billion, driven largely by Bitcoin's price appreciation.
The preferred stock is marketed as a low-risk option despite its ties to the volatile cryptocurrency market. According to research, the company’s collateralization is strong enough to cover 120 years of payments, or 24 years even if Bitcoin’s value were to drop by 80%. An analyst noted this new product is part of a trend to "financialize" Bitcoin to appeal to a wider demographic beyond native crypto investors. However, they also cautioned that as with any investment, the risks are borne by the investors themselves. Saylor’s marketing pitch highlights the product's daily liquidity and senior position in the company's capital structure, which he says provides downside protection. Source
Visa is expanding its stablecoin settlement platform by adding support for Global Dollar (USDG), PayPal USD (PYUSD), and Euro Coin (EURC), as well as integrating with the Stellar and Avalanche blockchain networks. This move follows Visa’s earlier support for USD Coin (USDC) and the Ethereum and Solana networks, and will allow users to make payments and convert stablecoins to fiat currency. This expansion of services comes as institutional interest in stablecoins is on the rise, spurred by the recent passage of the GENIUS stablecoin bill in the United States, which provides a clearer regulatory framework.
The article highlights that Visa is facing increasing competition in the stablecoin market from a growing list of financial institutions. Competitors like Mastercard have also been collaborating with crypto companies and tokenizing a portion of their transactions. Furthermore, major retailers such as Walmart and Amazon are reportedly exploring launching their own stablecoins to reduce transaction fees, and banking giants like JPMorgan have partnered with Coinbase to offer customers new crypto-related services. An industry expert noted that the on-chain stablecoin transaction volume is already surpassing that of legacy payment processors, suggesting stablecoins are becoming the new standard for internet settlements. Source
Disclaimer: These articles are provided for informational purposes only. They are not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other advice.
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