Crypto

Telegram Founder Pavel Durov's Arrest In France Sparks Reactions From Ethereum Creator Vitalik Buterin And Tron Founder Justin Sun – Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust (ETH) Common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (ARCA:ETH)

Published

2 years ago

August 25, 2024

$Telegram Founder Pavel Durov's Arrest In France Sparks Reactions From Ethereum Creator Vitalik Buterin And Tron Founder Justin Sun – Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust (ETH) Common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (ARCA:ETH)$

Prominent voices from the cryptocurrency space reacted to the arrest of the popular messaging app Telegram‘s CEO and founder Pavel Durov in France.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has expressed concern over the future of software and communication freedom in Europe, following recent developments involving Telegram.

What Happened: Ethereum ETH/USD co-founder Vitalik Buterin expressed concern over the future of software and communication freedom in Europe via an X post on Sunday.

Buterin said that he had been critical of Telegram’s encryption previously. Still, the charges brought by the authorities for being “unmoderated” and refusing to hand over user data made the issue appear “very bad.”

I’ve criticized Telegram before for not being serious with encryption.
But (given the info available so far: the charge seems to be just being “unmoderated” and not giving up people’s data), this looks very bad and worrying for the future of software and comms freedom in Europe.
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— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) August 25, 2024

Another well-known blockchain entrepreneur, Justin Sun, also weighed in. The Tron TRX/USD founder proposed a decentralized funding initiative to help Durov in his legal struggles. Sun pledged to donate $1 million to the cause if it garnered sufficient community support.

We should show the cryptocurrency industry’s unity by organizing a #FreePavel DAO to help Telegram founder Pavel Durov legally gain freedom. I’ll donate $1 million if it’s created in a decentralized way with enough community support. @elonmusk @MarioNawfal
— H.E. Justin Sun 孙宇晨(hiring) (@justinsuntron) August 25, 2024

Some users called out Sun’s proposal as a gimmick, saying that money was not the problem for Durov, whose net worth is estimated to be more than $15 billion.

See Also: Powell’s Rate Cut Signal Sparks Crypto Optimism: Experts Eye Potential Bitcoin Rally

Why It Matters: These responses came after Durov’s arrest shocked many in the corporate world and those advocating for free speech.

Durov, a Russian-French billionaire, was apprehended on Saturday evening while traveling on his private jet. The arrest is linked to an ongoing police investigation in France, which is reportedly focused on the lack of moderators on Telegram, allowing criminal activity to persist on the platform

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who also runs social platform X, described the developments as “super messed up.”

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Crypto

Man robbed of HK$6 million in crypto and silver in Hong Kong, probe under way

Published

5 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Man robbed of HK million in crypto and silver in Hong Kong, probe under way

Hong Kong police are investigating an attack and robbery in which a man lost about HK$6 million (US$767,070) in cryptocurrency and silver.

The force said it received a report at 3.52am on Saturday that a 25-year-old mainland Chinese man was attacked by three men and a woman at a hotel near Man Lok Street in Hung Hom and robbed of cryptocurrency worth HK$5 million from his account.

The suspects later took the victim to another unit in an industrial building, where they seized silver items worth HK$1 million.

No arrests had been made so far and a manhunt was under way to track down the four suspects.

Crypto

Bitcoin dives again after disappointing jobs report, ending midweek rally | Fortune

Published

17 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Bitcoin dives again after disappointing jobs report, ending midweek rally | Fortune

Bitcoin was barreling towards its best week in a month, but on Friday that momentum quickly dissipated. Since Wednesday, the largest cryptocurrency slumped roughly 7% to its current price of about $69,000, according to Binance. The downturn occurred following a lower than unexpected jobs report, spooking investors in the traditional stock market and in digital assets.

“The jobs number impacted all risk-on assets,” said Boris Alergant, head of strategic initiatives at Babylon. “During sell-offs like this, correlations tend to converge and assets move down in unison.”

The pullback for Bitcoin is part of a months-long slide for the crypto industry. Many expected the industry to flourish because of President Donald Trump’s friendly stance toward the sector. Yet, since October, the original cryptocurrency is down roughly 46% from its all-time high of $126,000.

Friday’s job report did not do the crypto industry any favors. Unemployment rose and jobs were cut more than expected. Other macroeconomic factors are weighing heavily on digital assets, namely the escalating conflict in the Middle East, which President Trump recently described as having “no time limits.” The conflict has skyrocketed gas prices, also contributing to concern among investors.

The major stock indexes mirrored Bitcoin, rallying in the middle of the week only to sputter on Friday morning. The S&P 500, for example, dropped about 2% following the release of the most recent job numbers after a brief surge on Wednesday.

Other cryptocurrencies also dropped as the week drew to a close. Ethereum is down roughly 5% since Thursday to its current price of about $1,970, and Solana is down roughly 5% during that time to its current price of about $85, according to Binance.

One analyst says that things could get worse before they get better. “If the week closes roughly as the market looks now, that would not be a very positive signal,” said Alex Tsepaev, chief strategy officer at B2Prime. “In that case, the price could move lower, and by lower I mean a possible retest of the $60,000 range per Bitcoin.”

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Crypto

1 Cryptocurrency Set to Rebound in 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Like most cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has been in a slump to start 2026. Over the first two months of the year, it lost 25%, continuing a downturn that began last October.

Although this hasn’t been fun for investors, several firms predict that Bitcoin could bounce back over the rest of the year. Analysts from JPMorgan Chase, in particular, have struck an optimistic tone based on expectations of increased institutional inflows.

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Image source: Getty Images.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024, leading to heavy institutional investment in the top cryptocurrency. Bitcoin ETFs hold $88 billion worth of Bitcoin, about 6% of the total supply, as of March 3, 2026.

ETF approval significantly expanded who can invest in the leading cryptocurrency. It used to be mainly the territory of retail investors, but because ETFs are regulated investment products, they allow hedge funds, pension funds, and other institutional investors to buy Bitcoin.

Bitcoin ETFs haven’t been immune to the recent sell-off. But they logged $787 million in inflows last week, snapping a streak of five straight weeks of outflows. This reversal is a sign that institutional investors are beginning to buy the dip on Bitcoin, which could be the first stages of a sustained recovery.

In a volatile crypto market, Bitcoin is the most resilient option and often the first to bounce back from downturns. ETF approval has given it a level of institutional support that no other cryptocurrency has.

While the SEC has approved spot ETFs for other cryptocurrencies, they aren’t nearly as large as those for Bitcoin. Ethereum ETFs rank second, with $13 billion in assets under management (AUM). I expect spot ETFs to help Bitcoin maintain a higher floor than in the past and rebound from its recent losses over the rest of 2026.

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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Lyle Daly has positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.