BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has become the second-largest holder of Bitcoin, surpassing major industry players including Binance and Strategy. Only the wallet attributed to Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, holds more of the asset.
IBIT currently manages 636,108 BTC, which accounts for more than 3% of Bitcoin’s total supply and nearly 57% of Nakamoto’s estimated holdings.
The fund’s growth since its launch in January 2024 has been remarkable. With over $66.9 billion in net assets, IBIT now leads all Bitcoin ETFs by value.
Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas believes it could surpass Satoshi’s wallet by next summer—sooner if Bitcoin’s price reaches $150,000. Such a move would likely spark even stronger institutional interest.
Analysts say IBIT’s rise shows growing demand for regulated crypto access from advisers and retail investors. Bitcoin ETFs are outperforming gold funds, and BlackRock’s push highlights a major shift in global investment strategies.
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The White House is backing a plan to regulate stablecoins. Trump adviser David Sacks says it could bring trillions into US government bonds almost overnight.
He believes the GENIUS Act will give clear rules for stablecoins, which are currently unregulated. There’s already more than $200 billion in circulation, and legal clarity could unlock massive demand.
The bill passed a key Senate vote this week, with 66 senators in support, including 15 Democrats. Sacks says the administration expects it to pass fully and sees it as a way to modernise payments in the US.
He called stablecoins a faster, cheaper way to move money and said the bill would bring dollar-backed tokens under proper oversight.
But there are concerns over Trump’s links to the crypto world. His family supports World Liberty Financial, which recently launched a stablecoin called USD1. It is backed by US government bonds and dollar deposits.
The bill may still face delays. Senator Josh Hawley added a last-minute change to cap late payment charges on credit cards, which banking groups strongly oppose.
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Kazakhstan is moving to formally regulate cryptocurrency exchange services that convert digital assets into fiat. The National Bank will oversee licensing under new national rules.
Yerlan Ashykbekov, head of the bank’s payment systems department, confirmed that a new category of licensed crypto exchange providers is being introduced. These platforms will be authorised to carry out crypto-to-fiat operations.
The central bank will also define which cryptocurrencies can be bought or sold under the new framework. Licensed operators will fall under direct supervision by the National Bank, including those issuing and circulating stablecoins and other digital assets.
Exchanges based in the Astana International Financial Centre will remain under a separate regime, though the government aims to link both systems. The move aligns with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s push to legalise crypto use and shift users out of the unregulated ‘grey zone.’
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Cybersecurity experts are warning of a rapid and highly advanced phishing campaign that targets Meta and PayPal users with instant account takeovers. The attack exploits Google’s AppSheet platform to send emails from a legitimate domain, bypassing standard security checks.
Victims are tricked into entering login details and two-factor authentication codes, which are then harvested in real time. Emails used in the campaign pose as urgent security alerts from Meta or PayPal, urging recipients to click a fake appeal link.
A double-prompt technique falsely claims an initial login attempt failed, increasing the likelihood of accurate information being submitted. KnowBe4 reports that 98% of detected threats impersonated Meta, with the remaining targeting PayPal.
Google confirmed it has taken steps to reduce the campaign’s impact by improving AppSheet security and deploying advanced Gmail protections. The company advised users to stay alert and consult their guide to spotting scams. Meta and PayPal have not yet commented on the situation.
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A major security incident has struck Cetus, a decentralised exchange (DEX) on the Sui blockchain, with suspected losses exceeding $200 million. Onchain data revealed rapid asset drainage, prompting experts to label the event as a possible hack rather than a mere bug, as claimed by the Cetus team.
Reports indicate that at least $63 million has already been transferred to Ethereum, including a large single transaction of 20,000 ETH moved to a new wallet.
Transaction volumes on Cetus surged to $2.9 billion on 22 May, compared to $320 million the previous day, suggesting funds were rapidly siphoned from the platform.
Several tokens lost over 75% of their value, causing wider disruption; for instance, the Sui-based money market Scallop halted all borrowing activities as a precaution.
Concerns over transparency have grown as $212 million in assets were reportedly bridged to Ethereum at a rate of $1 million per minute. Analysts argue the scale and speed of transfers hint at something more serious than a simple software glitch.
Cetus paused the affected smart contract and announced an ongoing investigation, but has yet to provide a detailed response.
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Bitcoin surged to a fresh all-time high of $111,544 during early Asian trading on Thursday, marking a 4% jump from Wednesday’s peak. The rally follows a dip to $106,000 earlier in the week and reflects rising interest in alternative assets amid global financial uncertainty.
The immediate driver appears to be weak demand for the US Treasury’s $16 billion 20-year bond auction, which pushed yields above 5.1%. Falling trust in long-term government debt has driven a shift in sentiment, with US and Japanese yields rising sharply.
Bitcoin’s rise has been supported by several macroeconomic factors, including softer US inflation, a cooling of US-China trade tensions, and Moody’s downgrade of US sovereign debt. Analysts suggest risk assets could benefit over the coming months if uncertainty continues to shake traditional markets.
On-chain data confirms increasing demand. Bitcoin’s realised market cap rose by $27 billion in May, while exchange inflows dropped 82% since November.
Institutional interest is also growing, with over $4.24 billion flowing into Bitcoin ETFs in the past month and major firms like Strategy boosting their holdings to $63 billion.
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Crypto.com has secured a MiFID licence, allowing it to offer regulated crypto derivatives across the European Economic Area. The licence expands the platform’s presence following earlier approval under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.
It was obtained through the acquisition of Cyprus-based A.N. Allnew Investments, a move similar to strategies used by other major platforms such as Kraken. The announcement follows Crypto.com’s broader efforts to offer more regulated services to European users and grow its product portfolio.
Other crypto firms are also eyeing Europe’s growing derivatives market. Kraken, Coinbase, Gemini and Synthetix have all expanded their derivatives offerings through acquisitions and regulatory approvals, signalling a competitive push in the region.
Crypto.com’s previous acquisitions include Fintek Securities, Watchdog Capital and others, further strengthening its regulatory positioning.
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Hong Kong’s legislature has approved a bill introducing a licensing framework for fiat-referenced stablecoin issuers. The move provides legal clarity and aims to enhance the city’s position as a global digital asset hub.
Any issuer of stablecoins in Hong Kong or of HKD-backed stablecoins abroad must obtain a licence from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. The law outlines standards for reserve asset management, redemption, and risk controls to protect investors and the wider public.
Officials say the legislation follows the principle of ‘same activity, same risks, same regulation’ and adopts a risk-based approach. Financial Secretary Christopher Hui stated that the measure sets a solid foundation for Hong Kong’s growing virtual asset market.
The HKMA’s sandbox programme for stablecoin issuers has already attracted three participants. The new ordinance is expected to take effect later this year.
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Russia’s Ministry of Justice is working on legislation that would classify crypto assets as property, enabling their confiscation during criminal investigations. The draft bill aims to tighten control over digital currencies increasingly used for illegal activities.
Deputy Justice Minister Vadim Fedorov stated that the new law would allow authorities to seize not only physical wallets but also credentials like seed phrases. Experts will assist in managing the secure handling of digital assets.
Courts may also be given the power to block transactions linked to certain wallets.
The move comes in response to a rise in crypto-related crime, particularly through darknet markets. One such platform, Kraken, has recorded a 68% surge in crypto transactions since the shutdown of Hydra in 2022.
Fedorov highlighted the challenges posed by digital currencies, citing their anonymity and lack of central control as major attractions for criminals.
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West Lothian Council has confirmed that personal and sensitive information was stolen following a ransomware cyberattack which struck the region’s education system on Tuesday, 6 May. Police Scotland has launched an investigation, and the matter remains an active criminal case.
Only a small fraction of the data held on the education network was accessed by the attackers. However, some of it included sensitive personal information. Parents and carers across West Lothian’s schools have been notified, and staff have also been advised to take extra precautions.
The cyberattack disrupted IT systems serving 13 secondary schools, 69 primary schools and 61 nurseries. Although the education network remains isolated from the rest of the council’s systems, contingency plans have been effective in minimising disruption, including during the ongoing SQA exams.
West Lothian Council has apologised to anyone potentially affected. It is continuing to work closely with Police Scotland and the Scottish Government. Officials have promised further updates as more information becomes available.
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