Latest news

10:31 Regulation

Ukraine Says Virtual Assets Bill Is 90% Ready With NSSMC Set to Lead Oversight

Ukraine says crypto law is 90% ready, NSSMC set to lead oversight Ukraine’s securities regulator, the NSSMC, says the virtual assets bill is about 90% ready and would make it the main crypto regulator, while leaving some powers to the National Bank. NSSMC head Oleksii Semeniuk said agreed parts include MiCA-style asset classification, licensing and capital rules, client asset segregation, and a restrictive regime during martial law; tax details, seizure rules, and transition periods are still unresolved.

10:17 Regulation

South Korea Tax Report Recommends Raising Crypto Deduction to 7.5 Million Won

South Korea tax report urges higher crypto tax deduction before 2027 rollout A report commissioned by South Korea’s National Tax Service recommended raising the annual basic deduction for virtual-asset taxation to 7.5 million won from 2.5 million won ahead of the levy’s January rollout, arguing it would cut enforcement costs and ease the burden on small investors. The proposal would need a legal amendment, while the government says it will still launch crypto taxation as scheduled next year.

10:16 Security

Swan Treasury loses about $625,000 after signer key leak on BNB Chain

Swan Treasury loses $625,000 after signer key compromise on BNB Chain Attackers used a leaked off-chain signer key to forge valid signatures and buy about 687,000 STY at roughly a 100x discount on BNB Chain, then sold the tokens for an estimated $625,000 profit, Defimon Alerts said. The firm said the exploit stemmed from the protocol’s compromised hardcoded signer key, not a flaw in its signature verification logic.

08:55 Security

AFX to release Aug. 3 user goodwill plan after $24.15M bridge exploit

AFX to unveil user recovery plan after $24.15M bridge exploit AFX said it has prepared a goodwill plan for users hit by last week’s $24.15 million bridge exploit and will release the proposal on Aug. 3. Its post-mortem blamed a supply-chain attack that began with social engineering against a developer and ended with validators co-signing a bridge transaction that drained about $24.15 million USDC; Arbitrum’s native bridge and network were not affected.

08:50 ETF & Funds

US spot Bitcoin ETFs add $233.1M on July 30 as BlackRock’s IBIT leads inflows

US spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $233.1M on July 30, their biggest daily net inflow since July 6, with BlackRock’s IBIT leading the move. IBIT took in $183.4M, or 78.7% of the day’s total, while no fund posted outflows, based on Farside data. The session pushed Bitcoin ETFs back into positive territory for both the week and July, with monthly inflows at about $438M through July 30 after two straight months of net withdrawals.

08:48 DeFi

What a DAO is, how token governance works, and where decentralized organizations fall short

Uniswap DAO approved $165M grants program in single on-chain vote In April 2024, Uniswap token holders voted on-chain to move $165 million from the protocol’s treasury into a two-year grants program, with no CEO or board approval required. The vote is a clear example of how DAOs use token-holder governance and smart contracts to direct large shared treasuries, while concentrating decision power in the hands of participating holders and delegates.

08:00 Court

New York sues Kalshi, seeks to block platform and claims at least $36 billion in damages

New York sues Kalshi, seeks at least $36B over alleged illegal gambling New York has sued Kalshi, accusing the prediction market platform of operating illegal gambling in the state without a New York State Gaming Commission license. The state is seeking a court order to block Kalshi in New York, halt its event contracts through a temporary restraining order, and pursue fines, restitution, disgorgement and at least $36 billion in compensatory damages, pending a full accounting.

06:19 DeFi

Aave Proposal Targets Six Chain Wind-Downs and $98.1M in Market Removals

Aave proposes winding down six chain deployments and 71 markets Aave has proposed shutting down deployments on Sonic, Scroll, Aptos, zkSync, Metis, and Soneium, while removing 50 asset reserves and 21 Pendle tokens across 11 deployments. The plan affects $98.1 million in supplied assets and $15.6 million in debt, as the protocol says revenue on the smaller networks has fallen below operating costs and it wants to cut economic and technical risk while focusing on larger markets.

05:49 Regulation

BSP says Circular 1238 allows transfer fees if banks and e-wallets can justify costs

BSP says e-wallets and banks may keep transfer fees under Circular 1238 The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas clarified that Circular No. 1238 does not require zero-fee fund transfers, allowing banks and e-wallets to charge fees as long as pricing is fair and based on actual costs, Fintech Alliance PH said. The BSP said providers may include expenses such as infrastructure, cybersecurity and customer support, while payments to micro-merchants earning under ₱250,000 a year remain free.

04:16 Security

Coinkite warns Coldcard Mk3 users after reports of 594 BTC moving from dormant wallets

Coinkite warns some Coldcard Mk3 wallets may be at risk Coinkite issued a security advisory for Coldcard Mk3 users after reports that about 594 BTC, worth roughly $38 million, moved from around 500 long-dormant single-signature wallets on July 30. The company said anyone who generated a seed on Mk3 firmware 4.0.1 through 5.0.3 may be affected, while Mk4, Q and Mk5 appear unaffected; it has not confirmed a root cause or a direct link to the transfers.

03:16 Regulation

BSP Updated VASP Registry Drops BloomX and XenRemit, Reclassifies Two Other Firms

BSP drops BloomX and XenRemit from VASP roster The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ latest registry of Virtual Asset Service Providers no longer includes Bloomsolutions, Inc. (BloomX) or XenRemit, Inc., while WIBS PHP, Inc. was reclassified from inactive to active and Direct Agent 5, which operates the SurgePay app, was moved to inactive status. The updated list shows six active non-bank VASPs, one inactive non-bank VASP, and two active bank VASPs under BSP supervision.

02:15 Regulation

OSL Opens XRP Trading to Hong Kong Retail Investors on Licensed Exchange

OSL launches XRP trading for Hong Kong retail investors OSL Digital Securities has started XRP trading for retail investors in Hong Kong, becoming the first licensed exchange in the city to offer the token to retail customers. Trading began July 29 through OSL’s Flash Trade and OTC services, with XRP/USD available on Flash Trade and XRP/USD and XRP/HKD on OTC, giving local investors regulated access through an SFC-licensed platform.

00:45 Companies

Bhutan’s Gelephu appoints 3iQ to manage part of Bitcoin treasury

Bhutan’s Gelephu City taps 3iQ to manage part of its Bitcoin treasury Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City has appointed Canadian digital-asset manager 3iQ to manage an undisclosed portion of the Bitcoin earmarked for the city’s development, marking the next step in its push to build a digital-asset investment hub. The parties did not disclose the amount under management, custody terms, or whether the mandate allows lending, derivatives or other yield strategies.

00:17 Tokenization

Aviva Investors Launches Tokenized USD Liquidity Fund Share Class on XRP Ledger

Aviva Investors launches tokenized USD liquidity fund share class on XRPL Aviva Investors has launched a tokenized share class of its USD Liquidity Fund on the XRP Ledger, in what it says is its first tokenized fund and Ripple’s first partnership with a European asset manager. The share class was approved by the Central Bank of Ireland, with Komainu providing custody and Licuido handling onchain issuance and administration for eligible institutional investors.

23:16 Regulation

Brazil crypto purchases hit $14.68B in H1 as stablecoins account for over 90% of demand

Brazil crypto demand jumps 135% to $14.68B in H1 2026 The Central Bank of Brazil said purchases of crypto assets through registered virtual asset service providers reached $14.68 billion in the first half of 2026, up 135% from $6.24 billion a year earlier. The bank said dollar-pegged stablecoins accounted for more than 90% of demand, overtaking bitcoin and other volatile tokens as a proxy for payments and cross-border settlements. Brazil’s central bank also said VASPs will be moved into Class 3 from January 2027, putting them under requirements similar to securities and FX brokerage firms to improve oversight of where these assets go.

22:00 Security

South Korea Arrests Three Over Fake FXRP Platform That Took $8.6M in XRP

South Korea arrests suspects in fake FXRP scam targeting XRP holders South Korean authorities arrested three men over a fake FXRP investment platform that collected about 3.4 million XRP, worth roughly $8.6 million, from 71 victims before vanishing after just over a week. Police said the probe began after an overseas exchange flagged suspicious transactions, and investigators froze about $12.1 million on foreign exchanges within three days; two suspected organizers face aggravated fraud charges, while another suspect remains overseas under an international alert.

21:23 Prediction Markets

Chainalysis says World Cup drove $20B in blockchain prediction market volume

World Cup drove $20B in blockchain prediction markets, Chainalysis says Chainalysis said the World Cup generated $20 billion in blockchain-based prediction market volume and $24 million in FIFA Collect NFT trading, with more than 400,000 wallets placing bets. During the five-week tournament, World Cup markets made up about 63% of all prediction market activity, while fewer than 1% of participating wallets were tied to illicit actors.

21:16 Companies

Strategy reports $8.22B Q2 loss as Bitcoin markdowns weigh on earnings

Strategy posts $8.22B Q2 loss as Bitcoin markdown hits earnings Strategy reported an $8.22 billion net loss in Q2 2026, driven almost entirely by an $8.32 billion unrealized fair-value loss on its Bitcoin holdings as BTC fell. Despite that, the company raised its stash to 843,775 BTC by July 26, cut convertible debt 18% by repurchasing $1.5 billion of notes, and increased its USD reserve to $3.75 billion.

19:45 Court

FTX to Start Fifth Creditor Payout on July 31, With About $900 Million in Claims

FTX starts fifth creditor payout with about $900M on July 31 FTX will begin its fifth creditor distribution on Friday, sending roughly $900 million to holders of allowed claims in its smallest payout round so far. Class 5A Dotcom and 5B U.S. customer claims will each reach 105% cumulative recovery, while general unsecured and digital asset loan claims rise to 103%; creditors with disputed claims, unresolved jurisdictions, or incomplete onboarding with BitGo, Kraken or Payoneer still cannot be paid.

19:31 Security

Zcash Developers Say ZEC Supply Can Be Verified Locally Ahead of Ironwood

Zcash says ZEC supply can already be verified locally Zcash developers said users do not need to wait for the Ironwood migration from Orchard to confirm the coin’s supply, after questions over an Orchard vulnerability and possible hidden inflation. Co-founder Zooko said anyone running a fully synced node can verify the current supply of 16,848,458 ZEC locally, while Ironwood will cap Orchard withdrawals through a turnstile that records each withdrawal against prior deposits.

15:58 Mining

Fortitude plans major Zcash mining expansion with $31.5 million Bitmain order

Fortitude to buy 9,000 Bitmain Z15 Pro miners for $31.5M Fortitude has agreed to buy 9,000 Bitmain Antminer Z15 Pro units for about $31.5 million, with deliveries set for October and November, in a deal the company says will lift its Zcash mining capacity by 145% to about 12.8 GSol/s. The new miners will be deployed across more than 60 MW of contracted power at seven sites, a scale that based on current network hashrate would put Fortitude above half of Zcash’s computing power.

10:17 ETF & Funds

Morgan Stanley Launches Ether and Solana Staking ETPs on NYSE Arca

Morgan Stanley lists Ether and Solana staking ETPs on NYSE Arca Morgan Stanley Investment Management launched the Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust (MSSE) and Morgan Stanley Solana Trust (MSOL) on NYSE Arca on July 28, expanding its crypto ETP lineup beyond bitcoin. Both products charge a 0.14% expense ratio and plan to stake part of their holdings, with the firm saying it will pass all staking rewards through to shareholders rather than keep any share.

10:02 Stablecoins

UK FCA says stablecoins' strongest payment use case is cross-border transfers

FCA says stablecoins’ clearest UK payment use is cross-border transfers The UK Financial Conduct Authority said feedback from its March Stablecoin Sprint showed stablecoins’ strongest near-term payment use case is cross-border transfers, while UK consumers have little reason to switch from fast, low-cost domestic bank and card payments. The findings informed final rules published June 30 requiring UK-issued qualifying stablecoins to be fully backed and redeemable at par.

10:01 Ethereum

Ethereum Developers Target Glamsterdam Upgrade for Second Half of 2026

Ethereum targets Glamsterdam upgrade for H2 2026 Ethereum developers are targeting the Glamsterdam upgrade for H2 2026, with SSV Network saying work is aimed at Q4, though no official mainnet date is confirmed. The upgrade is designed to change block production with ePBS, prepare parallel processing through Block-Level Access Lists, and support a post-upgrade gas-limit target of 200 million, while ETH holders will not need to swap their tokens.

08:09 Security

Ostium says off-chain breach, not smart contract flaw, caused $23.75M USDC exploit

Ostium says July exploit came from off-chain breach, not smart contracts Ostium said its July exploit was caused by compromised off-chain infrastructure that let an attacker manipulate price reports and drain 23.75 million USDC from the OLP liquidity vault, not by a flaw in its smart contracts or governance multisigs. The team said a 100 USDC test trade generated about 897.8 USDC in fake profit before larger exploit cycles followed; trading resumed on July 23 after a migration to a new production environment.

07:46 Prediction Markets

Polymarket removes Korean support and reduces Korea market visibility in South Korea

Polymarket drops Korean support and hides Korea markets in South Korea Polymarket has removed Korean from its language menu and stopped prominently showing Korea-focused prediction markets to users in South Korea, while keeping the contracts available globally. The changes come as South Korean regulators review whether the platform amounts to gambling and police investigate local users on gambling allegations; the Korea Communications Standards Commission has not set a timetable for any action, and Polymarket has not explained the move.

06:32 Stablecoins

South Korea report urges interim stablecoin rules ahead of broader crypto law

South Korea report calls for interim stablecoin licensing rules A South Korean policy report urges regulators to issue interim guidance for won-backed stablecoins before lawmakers finish the Digital Asset Basic Act, arguing that waiting would leave issuers and users without clear rules. The report recommends guidance on licensing, permitted activities and payment services, while a separate compromise under discussion would let banks keep majority ownership of issuers as fintech or non-bank partners manage operations; the FSC plans to consolidate 10 proposals into one bill in 2026.

06:31 Regulation

US sanctions Iranian maritime insurers over alleged Bitcoin-linked payment scheme

US sanctions Iranian insurer HormuzSafe over alleged Bitcoin payments The US Treasury on July 29 sanctioned Iranian maritime insurers HormuzSafe and another firm, alleging they supported an IRGC-linked scheme that forced vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz to buy approved insurance. Treasury said HormuzSafe, developed by Iran’s Ministry of Economy, accepted Bitcoin and other digital assets to bypass Western restrictions; the release did not name wallet addresses, transactions, payment amounts, or customers. OFAC also designated eight shipping firms and blocked eight tankers tied to Iran’s petroleum sector.

04:35 Stablecoins

Tether brings native USA₮ stablecoin to Celo with gas payments in the token

Tether launches native USA₮ on Celo Tether has launched its regulated stablecoin USA₮ on Celo, making the network the second after Ethereum to support the asset natively. The rollout lets users pay gas fees in USA₮ itself, removing the need to buy a separate network token before transacting. USA₮ operates under Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A., follows the GENIUS Act, and has reserves safeguarded by Cantor Fitzgerald.

04:33 Regulation

Russia Seeks Pavel Durov’s Arrest Over Alleged Terrorism-Linked Telegram Activity

Russia issues international arrest warrant for Telegram founder Durov Russia’s FSB said it has accused Telegram founder Pavel Durov of enabling terrorism, issued an international arrest warrant, and plans to add him to the international most-wanted list. The agency claims Telegram was used by Ukrainian intelligence to recruit Russians, including minors, for cybercrimes and attacks inside Russia; investigators say 46 people aged 12 to 22 were arrested over the past year in related cases. Durov has previously said Telegram complies with valid legal requests but rejects measures that invade privacy or enable censorship.

04:31 Regulation

HashKey Seeks Full Acquisition of Singapore-Regulated APEX Exchange

HashKey plans acquisition of Singapore’s dual-licensed APEX HashKey Holdings said it plans to acquire 100% of Asia Pacific Exchange through its Singapore subsidiary HKDAG, in a deal that would add a Singapore-regulated derivatives exchange and clearing house to its institutional business. APEX is one of only three operators in Singapore with both exchange and clearing licenses, but the transaction is still subject to due diligence, final agreements, and MAS approval.

04:30 Regulation

OSL HK Opens XRP Trading to Hong Kong Retail Investors

OSL HK opens XRP trading to Hong Kong retail investors OSL HK has opened XRP trading to retail investors for the first time, expanding access beyond professional clients on Hong Kong’s SFC-licensed platform. Retail users can trade XRP/USD via Flash Trade, while OTC services support XRP/USD and XRP/HKD, with deposits and withdrawals available through the XRP Ledger. The move widens regulated access to XRP in one of Asia’s most tightly regulated crypto markets.

03:46 Companies

Luno to cut 20% of staff as exchange shifts toward automation and platform overhaul

Luno cuts 20% of global workforce in second major layoff round Crypto exchange Luno is cutting 20% of its global staff and reorganizing into three platform units as retail trading declines and automation takes a bigger role. The company did not disclose how many jobs will be affected, including in South Africa, where formal consultations are underway, and said it will exit non-core markets before Sept. 1, 2026 after a previous 35% layoff round in January 2023.

23:31 Regulation

PLDT Restores Binance Access in Philippines as Exchange Returns via BlockShoals

PLDT restores access to Binance in the Philippines PLDT has restored access to Binance’s website across its network, following Globe, as the exchange re-enters the Philippines through local partner BlockShoals Technologies Inc. Binance had been blocked since March 2024 after the NTC and SEC said it was offering unregistered securities and operating without a local license; its local services are now being routed through SEC-approved Crypto Asset Intermediary BlockShoals under the StratBox sandbox.

21:30 Regulation

Lummis Accuses Democrats of Delaying Clarity Act Ahead of August Recess

Lummis presses Democrats to move Clarity Act before August recess Sen. Cynthia Lummis on Wednesday accused Democrats of stalling the Clarity Act, saying on the Senate floor that after 11 months of negotiations she does not know what more is needed to advance the bipartisan crypto market structure bill. Republicans are pushing for support this week before the August recess; an updated draft introduced last week added an ethics ban on government officials and their families issuing or promoting crypto.

20:46 ETF & Funds

Advisers Report New XRP ETF Holdings in Recent SEC Filings

Advisers disclose new XRP ETF positions in SEC filings A string of SEC filings shows registered investment advisers adding XRP exposure: Vista Finance LLC disclosed 129,958 shares of the Franklin XRP ETF worth about $11.45 million, Gallacher Capital Management LLC reported 86,744 shares of the Canary XRP ETF valued near $961,126, CPR Investments disclosed 36,619 shares of the ProShares Ultra XRP ETF, and Ohio-based Gerber reported 12,958 shares of the Franklin fund. The filings point to growing adviser interest in XRP investment products.

20:45 Regulation

Hawkins County votes again to bar crypto mining and data centers in unincorporated areas

Hawkins County approves new ban on crypto mining and data centers Hawkins County commissioners in Tennessee voted 12-0 on Monday to ban the establishment, construction, expansion and operation of crypto mining facilities and data centers in unincorporated areas, passing a second restriction after a similar 2025 ban. The move comes as the county is still dealing with a lawsuit and proposed January settlement with ExoticRidge over its planned mining site.

20:31 Stablecoins

Tether deploys USAT on Celo, adding a second mainnet after Ethereum

Tether launches USAT on Celo Tether has deployed its US-focused stablecoin USAT on Celo, the token’s second mainnet after Ethereum. The launch adds native mint-and-burn support and lets users pay gas fees with USAT on Celo via the network’s CIP-64 upgrade, cutting reliance on third-party bridges. Tether said the move targets a blockchain already widely used for digital-dollar payments, where Celo accounts for 28% of cross-chain USDT transfers.

18:31 Tokenization

Aviva Investors puts tokenized dollar liquidity fund share class live on XRP Ledger

Aviva Investors launches tokenized USD liquidity fund share class on XRP Ledger Aviva Investors has put a tokenized share class of its US Dollar Liquidity Fund live on the XRP Ledger, making its Ripple partnership operational. The Central Bank of Ireland approved the Ireland-domiciled UCITS money market fund structure, which uses a “digital twin” model: holdings are represented on XRPL while the regulated off-chain fund remains in place, with BNY Mellon continuing to hold the underlying assets.

18:01 Regulation

Expanded IRS crypto reporting increases need for wallet-level tax records

IRS crypto reporting rules raise pressure for wallet-level tax records US brokers will start reporting gross proceeds on Form 1099-DA for the 2025 tax year, with basis reporting for covered assets starting in 2026, increasing pressure on crypto investors to keep wallet-level records across exchanges, self-custody, staking and DeFi. Broker forms may show only part of a taxpayer’s history, making transfers, basis and income records critical to avoid overstated gains or mismatches with IRS data.

17:31 Security

MCBS healthcare vendor breach may have exposed data of 1.26 million Americans

MCBS breach may have exposed data on 1.26 million Americans Medical Computer Business Services, a third-party vendor for hospitals and medical practices, said hackers accessed its network between Sept. 22 and Sept. 26, 2025, potentially compromising the personal and medical data of 1,261,464 people. The incident is listed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a hacking/IT breach, and MCBS says it notified affected individuals and is offering identity protection services.

16:34 Regulation

OSL launches XRP spot trading for Hong Kong retail investors on licensed platform

OSL opens XRP spot trading to Hong Kong retail investors OSL Digital Securities said it opened XRP trading to retail investors in Hong Kong on July 29, becoming the first SFC-licensed platform to offer direct retail spot access to the token. Retail users can trade XRP/USD via Flash Trade and XRP/USD or XRP/HKD OTC, giving local investors a regulated Hong Kong dollar fiat on-ramp. XRP is now OSL’s fourth retail asset after Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana.

16:17 Payments

SoFi says commercial clients are now settling payments in real time with SoFiUSD

SoFi says commercial clients are now settling in real time with SoFiUSD SoFi said in its Q2 results Wednesday that commercial clients have started settling transactions in real time through its SoFiUSD stablecoin, marking the first confirmation of enterprise use since the token launched in December. The bank said Big Business Banking processed transactions on the SoFi Exchange Network during the quarter, enabling 24/7 payments via SoFiUSD.

15:04 Stablecoins

Altura says bank review is delaying final stablecoin vault payout

Altura payout delayed as bank restricts account holding £16.4M Altura said the final payout from its stablecoin vault is on hold after a bank temporarily restricted the account holding more than £16.4 million meant for user redemptions. The protocol said the cash was being sent to an OTC partner for conversion into USDT when the restriction hit, and that the bank is now conducting an internal review with no completion date given.

12:17 Security

CFA Puts Estimated US Crypto Scam Losses at $80.7 Billion in 2025

CFA estimates US crypto scam losses hit $80.7B in 2025 The Consumer Federation of America said Americans lost an estimated $80.7 billion to crypto scams in 2025, versus $11.37 billion reported to the FBI, by applying a 7.1x multiplier based on a 2017 survey that found only 14% of fraud victims report cases to law enforcement. Crypto made up more than half of all scam and cybercrime losses, with investment fraud the biggest category at an estimated $61.4 billion.

11:31 Regulation

New Zealand Rejects Blanket Crypto ATM Ban and Moves Toward Targeted Restrictions

New Zealand drops blanket crypto ATM ban in favor of targeted controls New Zealand will pursue targeted crypto ATM rules instead of a nationwide ban, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee said on July 9 after Cabinet reviewed further policy analysis. The government plans to add powers in the AML/CFT Omnibus Amendment Bill that could cap cash transactions or ban cash use for high-risk virtual assets, aiming to curb criminal misuse while preserving lawful access.

10:34 Market

Backpack Exchange Adds TRX Spot Trading and Perpetual Contracts

Backpack Exchange lists TRX spot and perpetual contracts TRON DAO said Backpack Exchange has launched TRX spot trading and perpetual contracts, giving users in eligible jurisdictions access to both markets on the regulated platform. Backpack says it supports users in more than 150 countries and has processed over $400 billion in cumulative trading volume, expanding market access for TRON’s native token.

10:16 Regulation

Hungary removes crypto conversion checks as CoinCash secures MiCA authorization

Hungary drops mandatory crypto conversion checks as CoinCash wins MiCA approval Hungary’s parliament has repealed the mandatory third-party validation for certain crypto conversions, rolling back a rule officials said disrupted the market. The change removes an extra approval step but keeps broader licensing and compliance requirements. Separately, the National Bank of Hungary authorized CoinCash operator Tiwala Solutions under MiCA on July 20, clearing the way for a gradual service restart.

10:10 Mining

Uzbekistan sets up Beshkala Mining Valley in Karakalpakstan

Uzbekistan creates special crypto mining zone in Karakalpakstan Uzbekistan has designated Karakalpakstan as the Beshkala Mining Valley, a regulated crypto mining zone for licensed operators under a presidential resolution that took effect on April 20. Only legal entities registered in the region can get resident status, while mining income is exempt from taxes and mandatory payments until Jan. 1, 2035, apart from a 1% monthly fee to the zone directorate. Residents can use grid, renewable and hydrogen power, but profits from crypto sales must be transferred to Uzbek bank accounts.

09:49 Infrastructure

Zcash activates Ironwood upgrade, retires Orchard to exit-only after shielded pool flaw

Zcash activates Ironwood to replace Orchard shielded pool Zcash activated its Ironwood upgrade at block 3,428,143 via NU6.3 on Tuesday, replacing the Orchard shielded pool after a flaw was found that could theoretically have enabled undetectable counterfeit ZEC. Orchard is now exit-only, while Ironwood adds a separate accounting boundary and a machine-checked proof that researchers said prevents hidden inflation under its design assumptions; about 40,207 ZEC have migrated so far, with roughly 3.6 million ZEC still in Orchard.