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Crypto venture capital deals in the first quarter of 2025 saw deal values jump even as the number of deals sank from the same quarter a year ago, says PitchBook.The venture research firm said in its May 14 Crypto VC Trends report for Q1 that 405 deals were made in the quarter, down 39.5% from the 670 deals made in Q1 2024, but slightly up from the 372 made in Q4 last year.However, the total value of deals in Q1 more than doubled from a year ago, jumping to $6 billion compared to $2.6 billion in the first quarter of…
Once a go-to swapper for hackers and drainers, eXch was shut down by German police in April — but continued activity suggests the story isn’t over.Without Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, eXch wasn’t your typical crypto exchange. It acted more like an instant swapper, allowing bad actors and cybercriminals to fly under the radar for years.Among its clients was the Lazarus Group. The North Korean state-backed hacking unit thrust eXch into the spotlight back in February, when it used the platform to funnel some of the $1.4 billion it stole from Bybit. When Bybit traced its stolen funds to eXch,…
Two former executives of the bankrupt crypto lending service Cred have pleaded guilty to wire fraud connected to the company’s collapse.Former Cred CEO Daniel Schatt and chief financial officer Joseph Podulka admitted to wire fraud as part of a plea deal with prosecutors, according to a May 13 text filing in a California District Court.District Judge William Alsup accepted the plea deals and set a sentencing hearing for Aug. 26. Wire fraud can carry up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for individuals and $500,00 for businesses.After accepting the defendant’s guilty plea, Judge William Alsup set a…
Bitcoin-buying medical device firm Semler Scientific has seen its share price drop after the bell as its first-quarter revenues fell and losses deepened from the year-ago quarter.In its Q1 earnings report released May 13, Semler reported its total revenues fell 44% from the year-ago quarter to $8.8 million, with its net losses hitting $64.7 million compared to a net income of $6.1 million in the first quarter of 2024.Shares in Semler Scientific (SMLR) closed the May 13 trading session up over 5% but fell 1.91% to $36 after the bell with its earnings announcement, according to Google Finance. Semler’s stock…
Decentralized finance platform Synthetix is planning to venture further into crypto derivatives with plans to re-acquire the crypto options platform Derive.Synthetix said in a May 14 blog post that it plans to acquire Derive in a token exchange deal, pricing 1 SNX token to 27 DRV tokens, which would value Derive at around $27 million. The transaction is subject to approval from both the Synthetix and Derive communities, which will take a vote on the proposal, called SIP-415, next week.If approved, the acquisition will combine Derive’s front-end and real-world asset (RWA) expertise with Synthetix’s derivatives infrastructure.Derive originally launched as Lyra in…
There are plenty of different ways that Stardew Valley players can interact with their world. From planting crops and harvesting them to entering the mines and collecting ores, players are never short of things to do. Perhaps underutilized by Stardew Valley players, panning can be a surprisingly impactful addition to one’s repertoire. 0:34 Related Stardew Valley: Where to Find Grapes Locating grapes in Stardew Valley has proven to be a daunting task for many players. Here’s how to find them. The process for unlocking panning in Stardew Valley can be a bit unclear, however, as there are a few steps…
Thailand’s Ministry of Finance reportedly plans to issue $150 million worth of digital investment tokens, allowing retail investors to buy government bonds.The Bangkok Post reported on May 13 that Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira announced the initiative at a briefing after the cabinet endorsed the plan. He added that the tokens will be launched within the next two months.The so-called “G-tokens” will be used to raise funds from the public under the current budget borrowing plan, said Patchara Anuntasilpa, director-general of the Public Debt Management Office. He added that these were not debt instruments.“One big selling point of the token is…
Crypto and stock trading platform eToro has boosted the size of its initial public offering to $620 million by pricing its shares above its previously suggested range.The platform and its backers sold over 11.92 million shares for $52 each, which are slated to start trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on May 14 under the ticker symbol ETOR, eToro said in a May 13 press release.Initially, the firm aimed to raise $500 million by offering 10 million shares priced between $46 to $50 each.The share offering will remain open until at least May 15 and consists of more than…
A Colorado-incorporated firm has been linked to a Chinese illicit marketplace that has served scammers in Southeast Asia and has been used to channel billions of dollars worth of crypto.The marketplace, called Xinbi Guarantee, has received $8.4 billion, primarily in Tether (USDT) stablecoin transactions to date, blockchain security firm Elliptic reported on May 13. Merchants on the Chinese-language, Telegram-based marketplace sell technology, personal data, and money laundering services to Southeast Asian scammers who target victims using pig butchering scams. On its website, Xinbi describes itself as an “investment and capital guarantee group company” and claims to operate through Xinbi Co. Ltd, a…
A Colorado-incorporated firm has been linked to a Chinese illicit marketplace that has served scammers in Southeast Asia and has been used to channel billions of dollars worth of crypto.The marketplace, called Xinbi Guarantee, has received $8.4 billion, primarily in Tether (USDT) stablecoin transactions to date, blockchain security firm Elliptic reported on May 13. Merchants on the Chinese-language, Telegram-based illicit marketplace sell technology, personal data, and money laundering services to Southeast Asian scammers who target victims using pig butchering scams. On its website, Xinbi describes itself as an “investment and capital guarantee group company” and claims to operate through Xinbi Co. Ltd,…