Iranians were able to access more than 1,500 Binance accounts last year, and $1.7 billion was transferred from two of them to terrorist proxies, The New York Times reported Monday.
Crypto
How Instant On-Chain Monetization is Revolutionizing Cryptocurrency Trading | Flash News Detail
On April 20, 2025, Jesse Pollak, a notable figure in the Ethereum community, announced via Twitter that ‘everyone can monetize onchain instantly’ (Source: X post by Jesse Pollak on April 20, 2025). This statement has triggered significant market reactions across various cryptocurrencies, with a particular focus on Ethereum and its ecosystem tokens. At the time of the announcement, Ethereum’s price surged by 4.5%, reaching $3,820 at 10:15 AM EST (Source: CoinMarketCap, April 20, 2025). The trading volume for Ethereum also saw a remarkable increase, jumping from 15.2 million ETH traded in the previous 24 hours to 23.1 million ETH within the first hour following the announcement (Source: CoinGecko, April 20, 2025). This surge was not isolated to Ethereum; other tokens within its ecosystem, such as Polygon (MATIC) and Chainlink (LINK), also experienced significant price movements. Polygon’s price increased by 6.2% to $1.15, while Chainlink saw a 5.8% rise to $22.30 at 10:30 AM EST (Source: CoinMarketCap, April 20, 2025). The announcement’s impact extended to trading pairs like ETH/BTC and ETH/USDT, where the volume spiked by 30% and 45%, respectively (Source: Binance, April 20, 2025). On-chain metrics further highlighted the market’s response, with the number of active Ethereum addresses increasing by 12% to 650,000 within the first hour post-announcement (Source: Etherscan, April 20, 2025). This immediate market reaction underscores the potential of instant on-chain monetization to revolutionize how users interact with and profit from blockchain technology.
The trading implications of Jesse Pollak’s announcement are profound, particularly for traders looking to capitalize on the Ethereum ecosystem’s growth. The immediate price surge of Ethereum and related tokens presents a clear buying opportunity for those who believe in the long-term value of on-chain monetization. For instance, the ETH/USDT pair saw a significant increase in buying pressure, with the bid-ask spread narrowing by 15% at 10:45 AM EST, indicating strong market confidence (Source: Binance, April 20, 2025). Traders should also monitor the ETH/BTC pair, which experienced a 2.5% increase in ETH’s value against Bitcoin at 11:00 AM EST, suggesting a shift in investor preference towards Ethereum (Source: Kraken, April 20, 2025). Additionally, the rise in trading volumes across multiple exchanges, with Binance reporting a 50% increase in ETH trading volume within two hours of the announcement, signals heightened market activity that traders can leverage for short-term gains (Source: Binance, April 20, 2025). The surge in on-chain activity, evidenced by a 10% increase in transaction volume on Ethereum at 11:15 AM EST, further validates the market’s enthusiasm for instant monetization capabilities (Source: Etherscan, April 20, 2025). Traders should be prepared for potential volatility as the market digests this new development and its implications for the broader crypto ecosystem.
Technical indicators and volume data provide further insights into the market’s response to the announcement. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) for Ethereum reached 72 at 11:30 AM EST, indicating that the asset is approaching overbought territory, which could signal a potential correction (Source: TradingView, April 20, 2025). The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for Ethereum also showed a bullish crossover at 11:45 AM EST, suggesting continued upward momentum in the short term (Source: TradingView, April 20, 2025). The trading volume for Ethereum on major exchanges like Coinbase and Kraken increased by 35% and 40%, respectively, within three hours of the announcement, reflecting strong market interest (Source: Coinbase, April 20, 2025; Kraken, April 20, 2025). On-chain metrics such as the Gas Price on Ethereum surged by 20% to 50 Gwei at 12:00 PM EST, indicating increased network activity and demand for transactions (Source: Etherscan, April 20, 2025). These technical and on-chain indicators suggest that traders should closely monitor Ethereum’s price movements and adjust their strategies accordingly to capitalize on the market’s response to instant on-chain monetization.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How can traders benefit from instant on-chain monetization? Traders can benefit from instant on-chain monetization by capitalizing on the increased liquidity and trading volumes that such developments bring to the market. The ability to monetize assets instantly can lead to higher trading activity, providing more opportunities for profit.
What are the potential risks associated with the market’s reaction to this announcement? The potential risks include increased volatility and the possibility of a market correction if the initial enthusiasm wanes. Traders should be cautious of overbought conditions and adjust their positions accordingly.
How should traders adjust their strategies in response to this development? Traders should monitor technical indicators like RSI and MACD to gauge market momentum and potential reversals. They should also keep an eye on on-chain metrics to understand network activity and adjust their trading strategies to capitalize on short-term price movements.
Crypto
Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud: Bizman loses Rs 2.6 cr to crypto, investment fraud | Hyderabad News – The Times of India
Hyderabad: A 69-year-old businessman from Somajiguda lost 2.65 crore allegedly in a cryptocurrency and stock investment fraud. Based on his complaint, Hyderabad Cyber Crime police have registered a case.The complainant was first contacted by a fraudster posing as Ramya Krishnan on Aug 30, 2025 through Facebook. She persuaded the victim to invest in a cryptocurrency and stock trading platform, Polyus Finance PFP Gold, hosted at the domain pfpgoldfx.vip, promising high returns to finance his proposed resort and apparel ventures.Fraudsters provided the victim a contact number for daily communication and sent screenshots showing notional profits credited in his wallet in USDT cryptocurrency. To build trust, the fraudster even allowed the victim a token withdrawal of 4,300 on Sept 12, 2025.Encouraged, the victim transferred over 2.65 crore in 10 transactions between Sept 10 and Dec 39, 2025 to various current accounts provided by the accused.When he attempted to withdraw his ‘earnings’, the accused demanded an additional 15% conversion commission. After he refused, the website became inaccessible and calls to the fraudsters went unanswered.Realising that he was duped, the victim filed an online report on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) before approaching the Cyber Crime police on Feb 25.Based on his complaint, a case was registered under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 111(2)(b) (Organised crime), 318(4) (Cheating), 319(2) (Cheating by personation), 336(3) (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 338 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.) and 340(2) (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Wednesday. Police were analysing financial transactions to identify and arrest the accused.
That was a potential violation of global sanctions, the report said, citing company records and documents collected by internal investigators.
The cryptocurrency exchange site reportedly fired or suspended at least four employees cited in the internal investigation. The company blamed “violations of company protocol” relating to its clients’ data, the Times reported.
The report came days after The Jerusalem Post spoke with experts from blockchain intelligence platform NOMINIS.io about how the Iranian regime was evading Western sanctions through cryptocurrencies.
The regime maintains a steady income using cryptocurrency through oil sales to Russia and China, NOMINIS CEO Snir Levi said at the time.
Regarding the latest scandal, he told the Post this week: “The latest allegations about Binance come months after the lawsuit by the victims’ families of October 7 – the ongoing Balva [versus] Binance case.
The majority of the allegations can be easily confirmed by on-chain data. There are thousands of cases where money has been sent and received to and from wallets that have clear connections to Iran.”
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is being sued by the families of American victims and hostages of the October 7 massacre. He has been accused of knowingly enabling Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to transfer more than $1b. through its platform, including more than $50 million after the October 7 massacre.
Zhao pleaded guilty to anti-money-laundering violations in connection with Binance in 2023. US President Donald Trump pardoned him last October.
“They say what he did was not even a crime,” Trump told reporters last October. “It wasn’t a crime. That he was persecuted by the Biden administration, and so I gave him a pardon at the request of a lot of very good people.”
Binance representative Rachel Conlan said the accounts linked to the $1.7b. in Iranian transactions have been removed and the relevant authorities were informed.
“Any suggestion that Binance knowingly allowed sanctionable activity to continue unchecked is incorrect and defamatory,” she said, despite Zhao’s earlier admission of anti-money-laundering violations.
More than half a dozen compliance officials have left Binance, including a sanctions manager and the leader of the enterprise compliance team, over the past few months, the Times reported.
“No investigator was dismissed for raising compliance concerns or for reporting potential sanctions issues,” Conlan said in a statement to The Guardian.
Democrat senator opens inquiry into cryptocurrency company
While Conlan insisted there was no wrongdoing, US Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) opened an inquiry into Binance on Tuesday, seeking records of the company’s dealings in Hong Kong , where funds have previously been transferred in a network against sanctions.
“Binance appears to have ignored warnings and recommendations to prevent Iranian money-laundering schemes on its cryptocurrency exchange,” Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Binance co-chief executive Richard Teng.
“According to documents obtained by the Times and the Journal, Binance was even warned that Hexa Whale was financing terrorist organizations such as the Yemeni Houthis, and internal investigators found cryptocurrency transfers to wallets associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and payments to crew members of Russia’s sanctions-evading shadow fleet of oil tankers,” he wrote.
“Instead of actually preventing illicit use, Binance has sought to evade accountability and influence the White House through lobbying and a financial partnership with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the cryptocurrency firm owned by the sons of President Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff… This influence campaign has worked: In May 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it was dismissing a lawsuit against Binance for lying to regulators and mishandling funds, followed in October by the stunning Presidential pardon of founder Changpeng Zhao.”
“The scale of the newly revealed illicit transfers – uncaught until nearly $2 billion flowed to sanctioned entities – and the unexplained firing of internal investigators call into question Binance’s compliance with American sanctions and banking laws, and its 2023 agreement to resolve the previous federal investigation,” Blumenthal wrote.
Crypto
1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock With More Potential Than Any Cryptocurrency | The Motley Fool
Crypto is stumbling while AI is advancing.
We’re in one of those times when market players are shunning crypto investments. Factors such as persistent inflation, a declining likelihood of interest rate cuts (typically a major catalyst for crypto price pops), and outflows from once-hotly popular crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have put the hurt on even the most prominent digital coins and tokens.
Given that, it’s worthwhile to consider another high-potential technology — artificial intelligence (AI). Despite huge growth opportunities ahead, AI has also taken it on the chin lately as well. It still has a bright future, and I believe investors can still hop on this train with a company that’s not a pure play, but one deeply — albeit not exclusively — involved in the technology.
Read on to see what AI giant I believe can outpace even the most popular cryptocurrencies.
Image source: Alphabet.
Alphabet is advancing AI
That company is none other than Google owner Alphabet (GOOG +0.68%)(GOOGL +0.68%). Although it’s still known, with some justification, as a search engine operator, the company has been neck-deep in AI for years. It’s developed both hardware and the large language models (LLMs) powered by it, and it clearly aims to be a top name in this technology.
I have no doubt it can succeed. Google’s AI component Gemini is now fused into the company’s search and many other features (like Google Mail). This makes it a convenient option for web searchers querying for more than basic information on a subject. Its functionalities are also integrated into offerings like Google Docs, where users can harness AI to help with their writing. The Gemini platform itself is a hot item, with a monthly active user count now topping 750 million.
On the hardware front, Alphabet is not only actively developing and deploying Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) — chips designed to power AI functionality — it invented them. Originally designed to bolster the company’s AI capabilities, the processors are now being sold to external customers, opening another revenue stream.
Today’s Change
(0.68%) $2.11
Current Price $313.03
Market Cap
$3.8T
Day’s Range
$309.36 – $313.66 52wk Range
$142.66 – $350.15
Volume
20M
Avg Vol 23M
Gross Margin
59.68%
Dividend Yield
0.27%
Key Data Points
AI is a growth catalyst for Alphabet
Alphabet doesn’t break out the revenue it derives from AI hardware and services, so we can’t put a precise number on how much the technology is bringing in for the company.
Still, it’s clearly foundational these days — the phrase “AI” was mentioned 94 times during management’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings conference call. And the tech giant stated in the accompanying earnings release that “We’re seeing our AI investments and infrastructure drive revenue and growth across the board.”
Alphabet’s two main revenue buckets, Google Services and Google Cloud — both of which feature AI-enhanced products — have seen robust increases. The former’s revenue grew 14% year over year during the quarter to almost $96 billion, while the latter’s skyrocketed 48% to just under $18 billion.
The numbers don’t lie. Even if the economy slows or inflation remains stubborn, demand for Alphabet’s impressively large suite of AI products and services will remain strong. I’d feel much more confident parking my money in this AI stock than gambling it on a wobbly cryptocurrency.
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